Second Sight
by Justright
Summary: In the midst of an unfolding drama in Africa, Cole and Phoebe find each other again after years of separation. Sometimes "Love" is not enough, but people change…will they grab this second chance?
1. Default Chapter

**Preface**

Contrary to the impression you might get from this preface, the story is not about Celtic Gods. However, as I thought of my main characters, I got this amusing idea to compare them to some very particular deities of the old world. The similarities were interesting and I thought I'd share what I found with you.

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Celtic Gods

Maeve, Queen of Connacht: Great and mighty Queen of Connacht, Maeve is one of the Earth-bound Goddesses of Sovereignty in Irish Mythology.  
Although clearly a deity she appears to us through the "Ulster Cycle" and more in particular in "The Cattle raid of Cooley" as a human incarnation.  
One of the five daughters of Eochardh Feidhleach, Maeve is portrayed to have been a strong-willed woman with a good mind and extreme battle-skills. By no means however should she be seen as an androgenic creature; quite the opposite: Maeve was very secure in her femininity and her sexuality.  
Often referred to as having an "insatiable sexual appetite", she clearly used her feminine attributes to obtain what she set out for. We should however not make the mistake of seeing her as a conniving and luscious woman who used her sexual appeal solely for the purpose of selfish gain; being a Goddess tied to the Earth and the ways of the land, she is eternal and will therefore be able to instruct and guide anyone interested in the Earth and earth-mysteries. This in itself can be extremely painful, for the damage humankind has inflicted upon the Earth is considerable. Yet another aspect of the Great Earth Goddess unfolds before our eyes: not the gentle Mother, but a strong-willed sexual part of the Goddess.

The goddess of sovereignty could also be a deity of death, and Maeve possesses this characteristic also. She brings about the death of CuChulain and of her own husband Ailill, infuriated (though hardly fairly) by his infidelity. She incites the former Ulster hero, Conall Cernach, to murder him on the Feast of Beltaine. Maeve has other supranormal traits: she has animal attributes, in the form of a bird and a squirrel who perch on her shoulder; she can run very fast; and she is able to deprive men of their strength simply by her presence.

"A woman every man would like to conquer…or every man would like to be conquered by!"

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**Cernunnos, The Celtic Horned God of Fertility:**

Earth/Pluto/Earth/October/Libra   
(European: Celtic: Gallic, British) Horned god of animals; chthonic god.

Many varied descriptions have been published about this God, who possibly was the most important male divinity for the Celtic people. He is commonly recognized as the Lord of the Animals, and a force of nature representing of virility and fertility.  
(Also Known as Hu'Gadarn, Herne and The Horned One) Celtic God of Nature, The Wild Man of the Woods, Animal Instinct, The Hunt. Known to all Celts as the "Horned God ". God of nature, virility, fertility, animals, sex, reincarnation and shamanism. Known to the Druids as Hu Gadarn. God of the Underworld and Astral Planes. The Consort of the Great Goddess. 

Cernunnos rules Nature, woodlands, forests, hunting, death, reincarnation, fertility, crossroads, sacrifice, magic, circles, cycles, initiation, wild animals, all horned animals, the underworld, the astral plane, and physical love. He is the patron of hunters and warriors. His titles include Lord of Animals, Lord of the Beasts, Stag Lord, Lord of the Hunt, Lord of the Forest, Lord of the Underworld, God of the Hunt, The Horned God of the Hunt, The Horned One, and The Horned God. Cernunnos, which is also spelled Kernunnos, is pronounced ëker-noo-nosí. He is also called Cernenus and Cernowain, and some authorities hold that he is the same god as Hu Gadarn, Herne, or Belatucadros. 

The oak is the sacred tree of Cernunnos. His sacred animals include the stag, boar, ram, bull, snake, horned serpent, all horned animals, and all mammals. Honor him at Samhain, Ostara, Beltain, and at Midsummer, when he leads the Wild Hunt. 

Invoke Cernunnos for magic, prosperity, wealth, commerce, rebirth, regeneration, virility, nobility, reincarnation, shamanism, abundance, knowledge, fertility, shape-shifting, male potency, good fortune, chieftainship, love spells, sex magic, hunting, male mysteries, Earth mysteries, workings which relate to the spiral of life, culling herds, protecting wild animals, helping to maintain the balance of Nature, and working with animals. Sitting in the lotus position is appropriate for his invocation. 

  
The Song of Amergin   
I am a stag of seven tines,  
I am a wide flood on a plain,  
I am a wind on the deep waters,  
I am a shining tear of the sun,  
I am a hawk on a cliff,  
I am fair among flowers,  
I am a god who sets the head afire with smoke.  
I am a battle waging spear,  
I am a salmon in the pool,  
I am a hill of poetry,  
I am a ruthless boar,  
I am a threatening noise of the sea,  
I am a wave of the sea,  
Who but I knows the secrets of the unhewn dolmen ?   
Origin obscure but certainly Celtic   
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**White Tiger**

All wild white tigers were a color variation of Bengal tigers. Wild white tigers were very rare, and none have been reported in the wild since the 1950s.  
White tigers in zoos are inbred and crossbred mixtures of Bengal and Siberian. They are neither albinos (in which case they would have pink eyes), nor a separate species; they have chocolate stripes and blue eyes, although several variations in eye and stripe color are seen. White tigers are only born to parents that both carry the recessive gene for white coloring.   
The first white cub precursor to all the captive white tigers is believed to be one trapped by the Maharaja of Rewa, who found it orphaned in the jungle in 1951. Named Mohan, the cub was later mated to a normal-colored captive tigress that produced three litters with normal coloring. A few years later, Mohan mated with one of the offspring, producing the first litter of white cubs in captivity—these were to be the ancestors of others now in many zoos the world over.  
As of June 1998, there were 30 white tigers in U.S. zoos that participate in SSP (species survival plan) programs.  No one knows how many more are in private hands.   
Bengal Tiger: Panthera-tigris- tigris  
The Bengal tiger lives in a wide range of habitats, including  the high-altitude, cold, coniferous Himalayan forests, the steaming mangroves of the Sunderbans, the swampy reedlands, the scorched hills of the Indian peninsula, the lush wet forests of Northern India, and the arid forests of Rajasthan.   
• Male Bengal tigers average 2.9 meters (9 1/2 feet) from head to tail and weigh about 220 kilograms (480 pounds). Females are smaller, measuring about 2.5 meters (8 feet) in length and weighing approximately 140 kilograms (300 pounds).   
• Bengal tigers prey primarily on wild deer and wild cattle.  
• Their range size is estimated at 10-39 km2 (3.9–15 mile2) for females and 30-105 km2 (11.7–40.5 mile2) for males (Sunquist 1981).  
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Author's Note: This is an AU that could actually have been written with any character of my choice, either from Charmed or more likely, my own imagination. In truth, as most AUs, it has little to do with Charmed. However, no matter what happened on that show, I still get my inspiration from the great love between Cole and Phoebe, which brought me to writing. For this reason, they will once again breathe their magic into this story. 

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Prologue

"Hey Abner," a man called from the campfire. He had a day old beard, and, the same as his dark hair, was heavily speckled with grey. Nonetheless, this didn't really make him look old as the sparkle in his eyes, along with his muscular built spoke of a much younger man than he must have been. Abner turned slowly towards him as he pursued, "did you see something?"

Despite a crown of white hair, Abner also appeared in great shape, athletic even... His tanned skin spoke of a man who spent a lot of time outdoors. In the fire light, he could have been mistaken for a native. It was obvious that he was noticeably older than his companion, but that didn't keep him from displaying an almost feline demeanor. "Nah…" Abner answered as he came back to the fire with his gun pointed to the ground. "I think I'm getting old. I hear things."

The fire offered only mild illumination but it was enough to distinguish some of their surroundings. They were camped near a thick forest while on the other side of them, the flat terrain seemed covered by grass taller than a man's height for as far as they could see.

"You're not getting old, Abner. You're just the nervous type," the first man uttered with an amused smile.

"Right," Abner replied with a half-smile of his own that barely softened his severe features. There was nothing farther from the truth, and Rudger, his partner of many years, knew it very well. Abner had been in these parts of Africa many times, even long before he knew Rudger, as well as in many a country's wildest regions. Hunter by trade, he had a reputation that spanned the globe among those who had a serious taste for the sport. Very little could trouble him anymore. Except maybe the fact that lately, he had not been able to practice his trade as much. Before sitting at the fire with his friend, Abner gave a pensive look at the dead panther they had just finished dressing. "Look what I'm reduced to, Rudger. Killing pests for angry farmers…" Beyond their tent, another campfire was surrounded by their bearers. Abner noticed absently that they seemed agitated, but he cared little about those sorts of things. In this country, the natives often displayed this kind of tense attitude. He chalked it to superstitions, which most of them believed in and swore by. Abner had no room for superstitions and baseless fears in his life. He returned his attention to Rudger, as this one answered his complaint.

"It's still hunting and at least, we can't be accused of poaching."

"I'm telling you, the good old days are over. Even you mentioned the word poaching. Not so long ago, hunters were greeted as heroes. Now, we almost have to beg for a place to hunt; that is when we're not called criminals!"

"How about the kid?" Rudger changed the subject as he saw that he was in for another of Abner's long diatribes. His companion was an adventurer in the blood, but there weren't many adventures to be had nowadays. He had hunted all that could be hunted throughout his life, and in truth, Rudger thought that Abner complained more because he didn't see a challenge in what he did anymore. 

"Skip's doing fine, although not as dedicated as I'd like."

"I heard good things about that kid, but not recently."

Abner gave his friend an uncertain look. "New love, you know…"

"Ah, to be young again," Rudger smiled. "I'm guessing the mess of five years ago was finally put to rest…"

"Please don't remind me of that…"

Rudger saw that once again, he had brought up a touchy subject and he decided to drop it. It was long ago but Abner could still become aggressive while talking about his kid's divorce. Rudger was trying to find a less controversial topic of conversation when a sharp cracking sound startled him. Without hesitation, he grabbed his own gun, surveying their surroundings attentively. From the other campfire, they could hear frightened comments, but neither he, nor Abner were on their first night in the wild and they weren't about to start panicking. They were prepared and well armed. 

Abner also heard the noise and he stood up slowly, just as attentive to anything that might give away their unwelcome visitor. When nothing else came, he started back toward the edge of the light, keeping his gun at the ready. As blasé as he was however, the scream of terror he heard next sent a chill down his back. It was soon followed by another and another. Looking quickly toward the other fire, he thought he saw something moving very fast among the bearers, but it went by so quickly, he couldn't identify the animal. Signalling to Rudger, who was already on his feet, they both headed hastily toward the other group. Before they could reach them however, Abner heard a growl and a muffled scream behind him, and as he looked back, he saw his friend being dragged head first toward the tall grass. He thought he saw the flash of a white pelt just before the animal and his friend were engulfed by the darkness and the vegetation. 

Abner called anxiously to his friend as he headed toward him. More screams of pain and terror resounding stopped him as he tried again to catch a glimpse of the attacker or attackers. However, even as he watched closely, he could only see shadows rushing by and his bearers falling one by one. Torn between saving his friend and the bearers, Abner hesitated, his gun aimed at the darkness in front of him. Then, as he was about to turn around and try saving some of the indigenous people, he heard another deep growl, too close for comfort. Without hesitation, Abner discharged his gun many times in the general direction of the sound. The growl stopped right away, and Abner advanced cautiously, unsure whether he hit his mark. He almost tripped on a form lying on the ground, and as he bent to get a better look, a wave of nausea shook him when he recognized Rudger, horribly mutilated with half of his face bitten off. He stumbled backward a few steps and never had a chance to fire his gun again before what seemed like a large shadow, barely distinguishable from the dark surroundings, tackled him and they both plunged into the tall grass…

  



	2. Second Sight Chapter 1

**Chapter I**

**T**he rustic sunroom was bathed in sunlight, and through its wide opened windows one could see a peak covered with snow in the distance. The soft wind coming through ruffled a pile of papers on the rattan coffee table, standing by an off-white chair of the same material. On top of the pile, and holding the papers in place, a photo album lay opened, and from it, a picture stuck halfway out of its sleeve showing Abner and a young couple on his right hand side; all of them smiling for the camera. 

The younger man was tall and handsome with dark hair and piercing blue eyes enhanced further by a deep blue tuxedo. He was looking down at the pretty brunette in a full length cream colored satin dress by his side. Although she was very pretty, her beauty wasn't classic. However, her soft features framed by long brown hair that she wore loose, were made striking by her sparkling hazelnut eyes, which seemed to mirror her smile as she returned the young man's gaze. In her hands she held a bouquet of white flowers, completing the impression that this was a wedding picture.

The loud call of a chimpanzee resounded from somewhere outside the house, this was soon followed by a high pitched scream of undefined provenance, momentarily covering the low hum of a multitude of insects buzzing about. 

From inside the house, a loud moan of pleasure cut incongruously through the usual African background noise. It was soon followed by an enthusiastic exclamation. "Wow, Brenda," a male voice uttered hoarsely, "you really know how to hit the spot."

A muffled giggle followed this affirmation before the man groaned anew with obvious satisfaction. 

At this moment, a black man of about thirty-five, wearing beige shorts and little else besides opened leather sandals entered the sunroom hurriedly through a screen door and stopped short at the sounds coming from inside the house. 

"Yeah," the unseen male pursued in a slightly higher-pitched intonation. "You can bring your pooch any time you'd like…"

The black man's lips expanded to show a perfect set of white teeth as he smiled impishly. He knew his boss's exclamation had little to do with treating the animal. In the distance, the roaring of a Land Rover coming towards them erased his smile quickly however and the black man looked up with a frown. He seemed to hesitate, glancing back and forth between the inside of the house and the opened window. After a short moment of indecision, he called, "Bwana?"

His first call got him no answer and so he emboldened himself, crossing the threshold to the main house, and looking about purposefully. He was standing in a cozy sitting room, which contained more rattan chairs and a large bookshelf that covered an entire wall. Another moan confirmed what direction to take and he followed it, heading for a connecting door just on his left. "Bwana," he called again after knocking discreetly. 

"Go away, Mwaka," the male voice answered irritably. "Unless someone's dying, I don't wanna be disturbed."

Inside the room, the younger man from the picture was leaning against the wall facing the door. In truth, he looked a few years older and much more tanned than in the wedding picture. Right then, his kaki shirt was wide open on a muscular chest that glistened with sweat as much from the ambient heat as from the ministering of a blond girl, who was now trailing her lips playfully up his stomach.. The girl giggled softly before whispering, "You're quite a busy man, Cole. Maybe I should come back another day…" This she said even as her hands slipped inside the back of his already undone trousers.

Cole opened his deep blue eyes and grabbed the girl by her neck, pulling her face to his almost forcefully. "There's no need to postpone anything here," he said with a lurid smile. "He'll go away…" 

Brenda still had on a black silk bra and matching bikini briefs, and Cole proceeded to pull down the latter with his free hand while capturing her lips hungrily. However he had to stop with a movement of impatience when Mwaka called again.

"I'm sorry, Bwana, but Celia is almost ready and I think we're getting visitors too…"

"Damnit!" Cole exclaimed before delicately pushing Brenda aside. This one tried to lean back against him and Cole had to repeat the manoeuvre although with a regretful sigh. "Sorry baby; duty calls…"

"Oh come on, what's a few more minutes?" Brenda uttered in a sultry voice as she pulled at the strap of her bra.

Cole watched her with a grin. "Sorry again, but I'd need a lot more than a few minutes to enjoy this. How about you wait for me," he added as he kissed the denuded shoulder before buttoning his trousers hurriedly, while he neglected to close his shirt altogether. "Unless there's a Mr Brenda waiting for you in town…?" He pursued even as he was already heading for the door. 

"No such thing… just a brother who is very worried about my virtue…" Brenda answered, as she picked up a white blouse that had been thrown carelessly across the bed and put it on slowly. 

Cole couldn't help looking back with a mocking smirk at this. "Maybe your brother should pay more attention to you…"

Brenda feigned offense and she grabbed a pillow, immediately throwing it in Cole's direction. However, instead of his back, it hit the door that was closing behind him.

Mwaka heard the muffled sound and gave Cole a questioning stare. 

"She's just pissed at you," Cole answered the silent question with a grin before heading toward the sunroom without waiting for a reply. 

Mwaka shook his head with false exasperation and then he followed Cole out of the house. 

Outside, Cole also noticed the Rover's engine growing louder, but he didn't pay it much attention as he headed toward a one story building with whitewashed walls and a flat roof. "Did you get everything ready," He called to Mwaka without looking back. 

"Almost… But what should we do about the visitors? Were you expecting any more private consultations," Mwaka questioned with an obvious innuendo to his comment.

"Hey…! I haven't had this much fun in what? A month?" Cole protested lightly as he pushed the door to the clinic open. 

"So I guess you're feeling better?" Mwaka pursued as he entered behind him. Cole answered distractedly, "I'm still grieving but I can't stop the world from turning. And besides, I've got needs…" Mwaka grinned behind him as Cole got near the cage of a very pregnant gorilla and this one gave both men what looked like a suspicious glare. 

"There, there, Celia," Cole soothingly said as he cautiously opened the cage door. "If you don't take my head off, I'll have your little bundle of joy out in no time flat. Trust in Doctor Turner, baby…"

The gorilla eyed him wearily, but she allowed Cole nearer without displaying any aggressiveness. "Bring the tranquiliser," Cole said calmly to Mwaka while never taking his eyes off Celia. He proceeded to palpate her protruding belly, provoking a low growl from the gorilla. "Come on Celia, I need to know if your little guy has turned." Even as he said so, Cole frowned noticeably when he spotted a pool of blood and mucus on the floor of the cage. "Mwaka," he said again, still keeping a calm and relaxed voice in spite of his obvious worry, "hurry up with the injection and then go get some help to transport her."

Mwaka looked up tensely from the countertop where he was preparing the tranquilizer syringe. "Problems?" He simply questioned. To him, the fact that Cole was in that cage with a sick gorilla was already a problem. Yet, Cole seemed to have an uncanny way with animals. The first time he refused to use the tranquilizer gun, Mwaka protested vehemently. The same for the next few occasions until the native understood that Cole simply wouldn't resort to this unless it was absolutely necessary. In fact, the gun in question was under lock and key and never saw the light of day since the day Cole arrived except for the one time with a particularly wild leopard. They had found that one in a poacher's trap and she'd nearly mauled Cole as he tried to examine her. Even then, it had taken everything for Mwaka to convince Cole. 

"As I feared, this one's not gonna come out on his own," Cole commented, but this time, the tension was noticeable in his voice. "The baby hasn't turned and her water broke. She's also bleeding too much for my taste. We can't wait much longer." This Cole said as he grabbed a stethoscope through the bars of the cage and delicately applied it to the gorilla's stomach. Again the animal only reacted mildly, even though the low moan that came next told both men she was in pain. 

Mwaka didn't need anymore as he came back toward the cage. Even though they both knew the urgency of the situation, they also were careful not to scare the strong animal. She was cooperating so far, but there was no telling when she would turn on them because of the pain and stress. The black man watched Cole swiftly inject the solution into Celia's furry arm without eliciting more than a grunt from the powerful gorilla. "You really have a way with females…"

"Well, most of them anyway," Cole replied without looking up. 

"You can't beat yourself up about her. She ran away and that's the end of it. Sometimes, there's nothing that can be done."

"I still can't believe she left just like that. She had everything she needed right here…"

That was mostly a rhetorical comment and besides, Mwaka was already on his way out after seeing Celia visibly relaxing. 

Outside, a cream colored Land Rover came to a screeching halt in the middle of the courtyard, but Mwaka paid little attention to its occupants. Instead, he called to three black men who were cleaning cages behind the whitewashed building. These didn't question his order and dropped their task right away. As they came around the corner, one of them smiled widely while indicating the Rover insistently. Mwaka glanced to see a tall blond man coming out of the vehicle. The driver was still hidden from view but that man seemed to be a good indication of the kind of visitors they were getting. What had provoked his man's hilarity was the suit the man wore in spite of the climate and location. He was so out of place that Mwaka almost burst out laughing himself and then he dismissed them as tourists as he re-entered the building with his helpers in tow. He'd send one of them see what those people wanted once their business was done inside. 

On the way in, he heard Cole talking to the gorilla. 

"Hey, don't sweat it. I won't let anything happen to this ugly little thing…" Cole pursued the monologue with himself as if the gorilla actually protested. "Oh alright, your beautiful little guy…or is it a girl?" He was saying all this to the sleeping animal from the sink where he was already busy washing his hands carefully. 

"You know Cole," Mwaka commented, "Sometimes I do think you're crazy." Mwaka had dropped the respectful appellation as was his habit when they weren't in the company of strangers. In truth, Cole tried to make him drop it altogether, but his assistant considered it a point of etiquette that he was hell-bent on maintaining in spite of the fact that Cole and he had become fast friends.

"You've just figured that one out?" Cole deadpanned. 

Mwaka didn't bother answering as he indicated the gorilla to his men. Under the watchful eyes of the veterinarian, the natives carefully laid the animal on a gurney and moved her to the operating table. Then, Mwaka himself hurried to wash up for the surgery. By the time he came back and had instructed one of his men about the visitors, Cole had shaved and dressed the surgical area and was already holding the scalpel, waiting for Mwaka to start the IV and anaesthetic procedures. Meanwhile, he killed time and calmed his nerves by continuing his silly monologue. "I'll make sure your bikini line remains intact," he quipped. "Only a small scar… Your male is gonna come congratulate me on a job well done; I guaranty it." 

Mwaka hurried as he knew this meant that Cole was becoming impatient. He always hid his anxiety behind such babble. It was amazing how much he cared for all animals, big and small. Mwaka saw him getting drunk more than once after losing a "patient". Not that the native didn't care for the animals himself. In fact, he'd worked around them for years before he even met Cole, but he had never seen such dedication toward something other than humans. 

While working on his task, Mwaka commented on the new arrival. "Hey Cole, maybe you should have thought twice before showing those people around a couple months ago. I think we got tourists again. Word of mouth is rather powerful around these parts."

"Tourists," Cole asked distractedly.

"Those people who were coming up the road earlier. The one I saw sure looked like a tourist to me."

"Well, thanks for heads up," Cole answered distractedly, which was another indication of how tense he was. As soon as Mwaka was certain that the gorilla was under, he signalled for Cole to start and this one didn't wait a second longer. He cut the first layer of skin skillfully, becoming completely absorbed in the delicate task. 

That is until the door burst open and Cole swore under his breath as he nearly cut too deep because of the sudden disturbance. He heard one of Mwaka's men protesting in virulent Swahili but even after years around these parts, he still had a limited understanding of the language and that only when it was spoken calmly. This wasn't the case. However, as he tried to ignore the altercation, he got his second shock and that nearly did it for him.

"I won't be ignored." A female voice protested loudly. Cole knew her right away, even if it had been five years since the last time he heard her voice. Tearing himself from his task for a quick glance, he felt a mix of anger and longing coursing through him at the sight of Phoebe. When he looked back at his hands, he knew he had to get a grip because he saw them trembling slightly. "Get her out of here. Drag her out if you have to," he finally said. "This isn't the place or the time."

From annoyed, Phoebe became irate. "I said I won't be ignored Cole Turner."

"I'm not ignoring you; I'm throwing you out. Can't you see I'm busy?" At this point, he had many questions, the first one being what the hell she was doing here. However, he wouldn't jeopardize his patient to satisfy his curiosity. Besides, he knew Phoebe. She wouldn't go anywhere until she made him feel her wrath three times rather than once for this. Indeed, she tried to protest again, but two of Mwaka's men dragged her out as Cole suggested. He couldn't help a little smile of satisfaction behind his mask as the door closed on them. "Let's finish this," he said uselessly for Mwaka.

Outside, Phoebe had to repress the urge to stomp the ground as she stood in front of the two men who dragged her out unceremoniously and were now guarding the door to the clinic. She shot an irate glare at them, but when they stared back impassively, she turned around stiffly, returning toward the tall blond man who was patiently waiting for her near the Rover. Philip appeared extremely uncomfortable but Phoebe had no pity for him at this point. She'd warned him about his outfit, but the man wouldn't listen to reason. For her part, she wore the same kind of kakis that she always used on safaris with her father. If Mwaka had seen her first, he would have known they weren't just tourists. Most foreigners, even those who made the effort to dress appropriately, looked tacky and out of place in this country. Phoebe didn't. Her outfit and everything about her screamed of being at ease in this climate. She hardly even broke a sweat as, in spite of being an American by birth, she spent most of her life in various countries and regions even warmer than this place. 

Philip pulled a handkerchief from his coat pocket and he dabbed his forehead with a disgusted grimace. "How can anyone choose to live in these parts is beyond me. This heat is unbearable," he protested disdainfully.

Rather than being annoyed by his attitude, Phoebe found that having a little fun at his expense might help calm her down. "You should've listened to me. I told you Africa wasn't for the likes of you." This she said in an affectionately mocking tone of voice, and Philip only lifted an eyebrow, as if even this was a tremendous effort on his part. 

"You won't make me believe that you enjoy this Phoebe? If it wasn't just the heat… but the smell!"

Phoebe had to admit that the smell was quite overpowering. There was a musky animal scent vaguely mixing with hospital antiseptic and blood smell floating in the afternoon breeze. At the exception of the hospital smell, she knew these aromas very well and had gotten used to them a long time ago. Strangely enough, those scents brought a few fond memories to Phoebe. However, she doubted that Philip could ever see it the way she did. "I told you before we left. You didn't have to come. It was something I could've taken care on my own…"

"Well I had some free time and we've just got engaged," Philip replied with a little more animation to his speech.

"And of course, it bothered you that I was gonna see my ex-husband…"

"Well…alright that could've been part of it…"

"Trust me; he's the last thing you should worry about. I just saw Cole and he threw me out of his clinic without even a hello after five years…"

Philip cast an annoyed glance toward the clinic, torn as he was between his discontent at the way Phoebe was treated, but at the same time, pleased that nothing came from their encounter. He knew her as a very passionate woman who gave herself to him completely and without reserve. However, even he could sense that maybe, it wasn't necessarily love that made Phoebe this passionate toward him. She seemed to enjoy physical encounters for the sake of them alone and in spite of the sincere affection he sensed she had for him, he was still insecure about her feelings. Moreover, he wasn't certain that he kept her fully satisfied and Philip admitted to himself reluctantly that it was mostly why he insisted on coming along. As far as her ex-husband was concerned, he didn't really fear that she would go back to him, but there were moments when he felt as if she was comparing him to someone without ever really mentioning who that was. Then, even though he knew that she positively hated the guy from all she said about him, her behaviour changed every time this Cole Turner came up in the conversation. Philip had often wondered about the possible link between these two attitudes. In a way, he was really curious to meet Cole Turner too. 

However, as Philip swatted away yet another buzzing insect, he also started wondering if Phoebe wasn't right. He was already homesick and they had only arrived the day before. Hopefully, Phoebe's business in this place wouldn't last too long. "Do you want me to talk to him? I mean, that sounded really rude…"

"Don't bother. Rude is his middle name. He has a very peculiar sense of humor," Phoebe added, and her voice noticeably softened as if even this insult was some fond memory. 

"Well I guess I'll soon get to experience it first hand."

In spite of the chitchat, Phoebe was getting impatient anew and standing by the car waiting for Cole to deign show up wasn't her idea of a good time. She turned toward the main house and decided that a little exploration was in order. Philip followed her but it was obvious he disapproved of entering someone else's property without their consent. Again, Phoebe took some pleasure at this, even though she knew it wasn't particularly charitable toward her future husband. With a little pinch to her ego, she realized that her own sense of humor left something to be desired more often than not, but she didn't stop her progress toward the house for that. 

Inside, Brenda had lingered awhile, hoping that she could spend some more time with the handsome veterinarian, but she had been truthful about her brother's protectiveness. In fact, one of the reasons why she ended up so far from town for a tryst was that he wasn't around to watch over her. That, and the fact that she found the veterinarian darn attractive… She'd only met Cole once before at a common acquaintance's house, but the way he had looked at her, it was obvious he would go for her in the blink of an eye. In truth, she got the distinct impression that the same went for most of the pretty girls at that party, but Brenda didn't really care. As she crossed the sunroom, she spotted the photo album that almost destroyed her plans for the afternoon long before the unwelcome interruption. Earlier, Cole had insisted on examining her dog first and left her alone for a little while. It hadn't taken him very long to see that the pooch was in perfect health, and when he came back, he found Brenda paging through the dusty album. At that moment, she had just been in the process of pulling a particular picture halfway out of its sleeve, as she wondered about the obvious Mrs. Turner. Cole had immediately taken the album out of her hands, throwing it still open on top of a pile of papers as if it would burn his fingers. "What the hell were you doing?"

"I was bored and I'm not much of a reader. Since you only have text books, I thought it would be fun to look at your pictures." Brenda hesitated only slightly before asking the question that was burning her lips. "Where is the Mrs.?"

"There ain't any Mrs," Cole answered gruffly. "I've put that mistake behind me five years ago and I've got no intention of making the same twice…"

"Hey, I was just making conversation," Brenda replied soothingly, while ostensibly leaning toward him. "Commitment is not exactly my priority either…" 

This had brought a smile back to Cole's lips right away and eventually got them in the bedroom where Mwaka found them.

Brenda smiled impishly at the thought as she headed out. She had made it to the door when she came face to face with the girl from the picture. She frowned more from the surprise than any hard feelings. "Hey," Brenda said pleasantly enough, "you're the girl from that picture. What are the odds?"

Phoebe was taken aback not only at seeing the girl there, even though she knew she should have expected something like this, but mostly by the fact that this girl recognized her. That was strange to say the least. "And who might you be," she questioned aloud and a little too curtly.

"Wow, let's not become pissy here," Brenda protested mildly. "My understanding was that you broke up a while ago." Then a mischievous smile spread over her lips. "I couldn't blame you for wanting him back… although one like him shouldn't belong to just one woman if you know what I mean? Oh right, you do…"

The girl definitely grated on Phoebe's nerves. "I really don't know what you're talking about. Were you leaving?" Not only did Phoebe want to slap herself silly for even the hint of jealousy she was feeling at this point, but Philip coming behind her at that moment caused an irrational guilt to invade her. 

"Not to worry, I'm leaving," Brenda replied casually. Then she smiled charmingly at Philip. "Well hello there." 

Philip couldn't help staring at the girl's bosom, as he noticed the dark bra contrasting provocatively with the thin white blouse. What's more, her dishevelled appearance painted a rather suggestive picture. "Hello, Mademoiselle," he managed to answer and Brenda seemed very pleased with the attention she was getting, infuriating Phoebe all the more. "Philip," she called as calmly as she could while her guilt quickly receded. 

The young man seemed only then to realize he had been staring and he cleared his throat uncomfortably as he allowed Brenda to move past him.

Remembering about her dog only then, Brenda started toward the clinic and Phoebe couldn't help another acidic comment. "I don't think he'll be pleased if you disturb him now."

"Who, Cole?" Brenda replied as she turned halfway toward Phoebe and Philip. "I already "visited" with him today," Brenda pursued, insisting on the word visited and making the true meaning very obvious for Phoebe. "I wouldn't mind another go at it too, but it'll have to wait," Brenda then offered, amused at Phoebe's miffed expression. As she said this, one of the helpers came around the clinic, holding her little dog as if he had been waiting for her to show up. "Well, seems my business here is done for now," she added as she grabbed the pooch affectionately and headed toward a small car parked behind the house. All the way, she worked her hips tightly fit into a short skirt, as she instinctively knew that both men were staring. 

Phoebe watched this with mounting irritation for a few seconds, and then she decidedly turned her back to them, entering the house abruptly. Philip heard the screen door closing with a loud thump and he grimaced, knowing that Phoebe was very sensitive about these sorts of things. More than once, they had words for less than this. Phoebe never told him directly, but he strongly suspected that infidelity had been one of the motives for her failed marriage. As the small car's engine roared to life, Philip caught sight of the native who was watching him with obvious amusement at his discomfiture. Grunting, he turned his back to him and entered the house in turn. 

From the bushes behind the house, a low growl was heard but the noise was dampened by the surrounding sounds and the car engine, so that as he headed toward the clinic, the black man didn't hear it, nor did he notice the ripples in the tall grass as something appeared to be moving in this direction as well.

Inside the clinic, Cole had already pulled the baby gorilla out of his mother's womb and Mwaka hurried to check him out, while drying him with a sterile towel. He nodded affirmatively toward Cole who had already started closing but glanced up many times, waiting for a confirmation that the baby was fine. He relaxed visibly afterward, as Mwaka brought the little bundle back toward them and immediately nested it on the female gorilla's chest. This was the best way to keep the infant warm, and as soon as she'd wake up, Celia would be instinctively searching for her baby. It always amazed Cole how strong most mammals' maternal instinct was. Soon, the baby was searching for its mother's nipple. He looked strong in spite of the stressful procedure and that brought a warm fuzzy feeling to Cole, knowing he'd helped another creature come to life. 

"Well done," Mwaka smiled. "Now," he added with just a hint of hesitation, "what was that all about?"

Cole didn't need him to explain what he was referring to. Even now, he was rattled by Phoebe's presence and his assistant was very much in tune with his feelings. "Well, I guess you recognized my ex-wife from the pictures."

"I thought she looked familiar yes," Mwaka began without giving too much away. He waited patiently as Cole continued working on the stitches in silence. 

After he finished the last one, he gave a pensive look at the door. "Jeez, what the hell is she doing here," he asked without expecting an answer. 

"Maybe you should ask her," Mwaka suggested calmly. 

"Oh I don't need to ask her what she's doing in Africa… She's a bloody hunter like her father. I just don't get why she had to come here." Then he became tense again, and Mwaka frowned as he noticed Cole's obvious mounting anger. 

"What is it, Cole?"

"She's come for my tigers…" Cole growled.

Mwaka was about to suggest another possibility, although he tended to believe Cole was right, when a shriek of panic resounded coming from just outside the clinic.

Cole hurriedly put gauze over the stitches and after indicating that Mwaka should stay behind, he took off the surgical gloves and headed anxiously toward the door. 

Phoebe was holding the wedding picture, staring at it with a saddened expression. Philip had been watching her without a word for a while already, unsure if the picture was responsible for her unhappiness, or if she was still aggravated by his earlier actions. As he decided it was time for him to apologize, hoping that it would soothe Phoebe, he opened his mouth to do so, but was interrupted by a loud scream coming from the direction of the clinic. Without hesitation, Phoebe dropped the picture on top of the album and without even a glance toward Philip, she ran out of the sunroom. Outside, she didn't stop until she reached the Land Rover. There she bent to retrieve a hunting rifle from the back seat before heading toward the clinic resolutely. 

One of the helpers was staring fixedly at the bushes, apparently stuck in place. Phoebe aimed the rifle toward the unseen danger, but then, a firm hand pushed down the barrel of the gun, and she heard Cole's angry voice beside her. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?" He exclaimed as he went on toward the black man without waiting for her reply. 

Without bothering to question the man about what he saw, Cole stepped in front of him and slowly advanced toward the bushes. A flash of fur came into view before the leopard jumped out of the bushes and apparently prepared to pounce. Cole stopped short but he didn't back off. "Well, well, well," he said very calmly while slowly expanding his arms away from his sides. The leopard stayed put, staring at Cole fixedly. "I think you've lost your way, kitty…there's nothing for you here…unless you need some medical help of course," he added softly, as he took a step forward. To Phoebe's amazement, the leopard moved back, although it was still staring and growling, but apparently less menacingly. "Come on now. You've got more than enough game out there. You don't want leftovers…" Cole pursued as if he expected the animal to understand what he was saying. He then took another step forward cautiously and the leopard's stance became visibly less tense until it simply turned back and left. 

Only when he was certain that the danger was past did Cole turn around and face Phoebe angrily. "That's your answer to everything isn't it? Violence and reproaches are all you know," he blurted irritably.

Phoebe was still under the shock of what he just did and she simply stared back without a word. 

"Damn, if I had known I had to face a big cat to shut you up, I'd have done it sooner." Cole quipped with a sudden satisfied smile. 

This got a reaction out of Phoebe. "You're just an irresponsible idiot. You put all our lives in danger."

"You were never in danger," Cole replied casually while heading back toward the clinic as if nothing happened.

"I told you that I won't be ignored, Cole."

"Yeah well, you'll have to wait until I'm good and ready." Then as he remembered his earlier suspicion, Cole changed his mind about leaving and he turned toward her abruptly. "Wait a minute! I am… If you came here for my tigers, you've better turn around and leave right now. I won't let you hurt them…They're not responsible"

"I see that you're aware of the problem…Anyway, I'll be the one to decide what has to be done, Cole," Phoebe replied firmly, confirming Cole's fears. "I've got a permit to hunt them down and if I find they are responsible for the recent troubles, I will kill them."

"Go to hell," Cole exclaimed angrily. "I won't let that happen," he added before stomping toward the house. Phoebe followed him until they crossed paths with Philip. Cole only stopped a moment to stare at the other man, and then he shrugged without even a nod in his direction before continuing on his way. 

As Phoebe tried to follow Cole inside, Philip stopped her. "What's going on?"

"I told him why I was here," Phoebe replied irritably. "I'm sure he's gonna try something to stop me, but I won't let him."

"Wait," Philip uttered while grabbing her arm. "You know he can't do anything about it. The owner of the reservation authorized you to investigate."

Phoebe wanted to go on and have it out with Cole, but after debating this for a few seconds, she decided that Philip was right. There was no point in confronting Cole now. It was unfortunate that he didn't receive the news before her arrival, but he would get it soon enough. 

Inside, Cole went straight to a satellite phone he kept inside the sitting room. Punching the numbers, he waited impatiently for someone to pick up.

"McKail residence. May I ask who's calling."

"Get Paul on the phone," Cole said immediately. "Tell him that Cole is calling and is mighty pissed."

"Huh," was the stunned answer at the other end of the line, but the interlocutor didn't protest further. "Let me get Mr. McKail." Paul McKail was the real owner of the small reservation Cole was entrusted with. Cole met the multi-millionaire through a few of his animal activist friends and McKail had been impressed with Cole's dedication to his work. At the time, their encounter had seemed almost fated as Paul was searching for someone willing to move to Africa and head his newly acquired reservation while Cole, for his part, had been looking for some way to put his bitter divorce behind him. Less than a week after their first meeting they shook on their new association. Ever since, their friendship had steadily grown in strength despite the fact that Paul only came to visit twice a year. 

However when Paul came on the line a few seconds later, Cole wasn't in a friendly mood, and as soon as Paul had greeted him wearily, Cole started tensely, "Paul, my ex-wife is here and she wants to kill the tigers! I've already lost one of the leopards; I won't let that happen again."

There was a long pause, which only heightened Cole's anxiety. "Paul?"

"I know all about this," his friend answered. "I'm sorry to hear you haven't found Sinta…but there's still a chance that Phoebe might not find any correlation between the deaths and our cats…However, you'll have to let her look into this and…terminate them if necessary."

"What? No way! The tigers are not responsible. I told you that already! She's a killer, Paul. She won't bother checking things out…she'll shoot first and ask questions later!" Cole almost shouted.

"Maybe not…it could have been worse. I heard they were sending Abner…"

Cole only grunted unhappily, not feeling that the situation was any better in spite of the switch.

"Come on Cole. The tigers are not the only animals on the reservation. If we have to sacrifice them…"

"No! I'm telling you, I won't let her anywhere near them!"

"You won't have a choice if you want to keep working there, Cole."

"What the fuck? You wanna fire me now?" Cole exclaimed with consternation.

"It's not me, Cole. The government put its figurative foot down. There have been too many incidents and they're convinced that our cats are responsible. They're threatening to take back the land…"

"Paul…" Cole tried, but his friend interrupted him.

"Cole it's not just the cattle anymore. They found a man eviscerated four days ago…"

Cole couldn't find anything to say to this as the implication dawned on him painfully. 

"I'm sorry, Cole…" Paul said sincerely.   



	3. Second Sight Chapter 2

**Chapter II**

**C**ole sat in the sunroom, forlornly looking out the window but not seeing anything. Ever since he hung up, he'd been mulling over his conversation with Paul, and mostly, over the consequences. When he asked why Paul didn't bother to call him before, his friend had a ready-made excuse. According to him, the sat phone wasn't working when he tried. Cole suspected that Paul really didn't want to be the one telling him about the hunter. Upon reflection, and mostly after he managed to calm down somewhat, Cole had to admit that his friend might have been justified. Overreaction was no stranger to him, by far… Still, if it was extremely difficult to accept, it wasn't that much of a shocker. Nevertheless, the simple idea of losing the tigers sufficed to make his skin crawl. Particularly after all the work he'd put into acclimating them to their new environment. 

Ironically, he had been against this experiment in the beginning. Paul had been the one insisting it could be done. There were many reasons why they shouldn't have tried to bring tigers here. Besides the fact that the climate barely fit the bill, the natives protested vehemently against it. As they put it, they had enough of the occasional rogue lions that sprung up here and there; they didn't want another couple of possible man-eaters brought in on purpose. 

For a while however, it had seemed to work. It took months, but he managed to convince most of the people living nearby that those tigers would stay put and they had, as far as he knew. This for the past three years… Then about four months ago, everything went wrong. Cole still didn't believe his cats were responsible, but that didn't make any difference to the farmers. They were losing cattle in great number and they needed a guilty party. Cole even went to examine a few remains but the autopsies were inconclusive. Of course, that didn't change the farmers' minds since they believed him to be biased. Then, there were the rumors… For the past two months, many witnesses swore they saw a large beast with white fur roaming about. None of them could give a precise description as they only saw this beast flashing by, but that was enough. It soon brought the villagers to Cole's doorstep, considering that one of their cats belonged to a rare variety of Bengal: the white tiger. The only thing that puzzled Cole at this point was that they didn't send someone sooner. 

Even with his certainty that the cats had enough game and no reason to go look elsewhere, Cole found himself wondering about his cats more than once since the rumors started. And now, a man had died… The fact that he turned out to be a poacher didn't make this any less horrible. What's more, the leopard he lost shouldn't have strayed either and yet, she had… Cole suddenly jumped to his feet, startled to realize that he was beginning to see it their way. Just then, Phoebe entered the sunroom without knocking. She appeared out of patience and in truth, Cole wondered how she stayed away this long. That was so out of character. "Well," he said bitterly. "I was wondering when you'd come to gloat."

"I gather that you confirmed the legitimacy of my presence here?"

"That's putting it too neatly," Cole spat. "Let's just say I was told I didn't have a choice. However," he pursued quickly when he saw Phoebe about to reply, "I won't let you go up the mountain until I see an official paper."

"I'm not ready to go up just yet, but…" Phoebe pulled a folded piece of paper from her shirt pocket and handed it to him resolutely. "Is this what you're referring to?"

Cole stared unhappily at the document in her hands.

"You can take it," Phoebe insisted. "Unlike your cats, it won't…"

"Don't you dare," Cole interrupted angrily. "How can you stand here and talk about destroying years of work as if it was just another of your bloody safaris?"

Phoebe barely reacted to the rebuff and then she almost forced the document in Cole's hand before replying. "You'd see it like this. You always cared more about animals than people."

"It's not people in general I don't care about. It's the likes of you. All you do is destroy life."

"Well, I knew you were bitter but… now I'm just one of them? It warms my heart to see the lasting impression I made on you." 

"Do I have to remind you we're divorced?"

"Do I have to remind you we're divorced because…"

"I don't wanna go at this again, Phoebe. What's done is done and there's no point in assigning blame."

"Of course, since it was your goddamn fault! You betrayed me!" Phoebe almost shouted.

"I didn't…" Cole was about to protest but he stopped himself and looked away uncertainly. "You know…I guess you're still bitter as well…it's a good thing the lawyers took care of the divorce procedures for us. I'm sure we'd still be at it otherwise…" 

Phoebe only groaned unhappily but she didn't answer the new provocation. 

"Again with the silence…? Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe you've learned to let other people have the last word after all. Did the stiff out there have anything to do with this new and improved Phoebe?" Cole questioned sarcastically.

"You on the other hand, haven't changed an iota in five years," Phoebe snapped while keeping her calm at great efforts. "Can't we have a civilized conversation for a change?"

"Don't ask me to be civilized when you come here to commit murder." Cole shot back. 

Phoebe rolled her eyes with exasperation even as she felt an urge to slap some sense into him. However, she knew it would only make things worse and what's more, Cole would simply use it against her. "Look…I said I'd investigate first, but you have to understand that there's a definite urgency, here. A man died."

"Oh yeah… a poacher…for all I know he was killed by one of his partners…or one of those revolutionaries that are springing up lately. Can't blame the natives though... This government sucks."

"Don't change the subject, Cole."

"Heaven forbid I'd forget you're here to make my life miserable. Come to think of it, the government isn't so bad in comparison."

"Did you even see the body," Phoebe interrupted, ignoring the insult. 

"How could I? I just heard about it now. You?"

"Not yet… I was thinking of doing that after I talked to you."

"Well, go for it… as far as I'm concerned, we're all talked out."

:"You haven't even looked at the paperwork," Phoebe said, somewhat calmer.

"Oh, you're a pain in my ass, but I know you're honest to a fault… Can even get boring sometimes…" Cole replied while crumbling the document and throwing it on top of the wedding picture. Both of them looked down at this, staring at the picture that was sticking out from underneath the paper. 

"Were you taking a trip down memory lane?" Phoebe questioned. 

"I haven't looked at these in years. My earlier visitor got bored and sneaked around my stuff."

"You mean you didn't manage to keep that blond entertained?" 

Rather than feeling insulted, Cole started giggling, giving the first sign of relaxing since Phoebe arrived. "I have my priorities. Animals first; humans second… Although, I doubt the girl complained about the entertainment. She didn't did she," Cole questioned as the giggling receded while a mocking smile remained plastered on his lips. 

"I don't care who the hell you entertain," Phoebe exclaimed. Then, she realized she was playing his game and showing him exactly how that girl made her feel. For a moment, she almost got angrier, but then she understood how pointless it was. Instead, Phoebe sighed uncertainly. "I…I was just surprised you kept those pictures at all."

"No more than I am," Cole replied as the mocking smile slowly vanished.

A charged silence fell between them. Outside, they heard another vehicle coming up the road, but neither one paid it more than passing attention. "Cole…" Phoebe finally said. "I'm sorry it came to that."

"What exactly are you referring to? Our failed marriage…? Or this less than pleasant visit…?"

"You know I'm not responsible for the end of our relationship…"

"That's a matter of opinion…"

"Cole," Phoebe started warningly. Then she stopped again. It was true that there was no point in going back over their bitter past. "For someone who said you wanted to keep the past in the past, you seem intent on bringing it into the conversation…" Phoebe pursued more calmly. She waited for a retort, but it didn't come. "I meant I'm sorry about those tigers…"

"You are?" Cole questioned incredulously. 

"I know what they mean to you… I've seen how dedicated you are to your work. Remember, I used to admire you for that…"

"It's more than just work Phoebe," Cole replied in a much gentler tone of voice. "Sometimes I feel like all the animals I have under my charge are the family I never had… For a while," he added softly, "I thought I had that with you…"

Phoebe gazed in his eyes and for a moment, she thought that Cole sincerely regretted their life together. Yet, there was still the matter of what caused their separation, which seemed to deny that. "If you wanted it so bad, you wouldn't have slept with her."

Cole bit his lips hesitantly and Phoebe got the impression he wanted to say something very different than what he actually replied. A thin smile spread over his lips before he spoke. "Well, we're both agreed I'm an asshole. Let's move on."

"Yeah," Phoebe trailed before turning around. She was very surprised he didn't pursue this. In fact, it was almost disturbing for her. As if he truly didn't care anymore. 

"Hum," Cole began mockingly as she grabbed the doorknob. "You know, I think it went rather well. Maybe it's time for it…"

"For what," Phoebe questioned, thinking that she was ridiculous to feel relief at this point. Moreover, she knew he was about to say something totally outrageous. 

Indeed, Cole didn't disappoint. "Well, you know… They say sex is even better after the divorce, but we never really tried …pity…I know I'd be up for it."

"You bloody pig," Phoebe shot at him without turning around, but without making a move to leave either. She wondered if the butterflies dancing in her stomach were from the outrage she felt, or the fact that she hoped Cole would actually make a move.

However, his next words shook her out of it. "Hey, I know you Phoebe Halliwell. You still want me..."

"Dream on!" Phoebe replied as she turned halfway toward him. Then she smiled impishly. "By the way…The stiff outside is my fiancée." If she had expected a change in Cole's attitude, she was disappointed.

"All the more reason to take a little trip on the wild side… Looks to me as if it's gonna be all straight and narrow from now on…"

"Did I mention you're a pig?"

"Several times… but I happen to know pigs are very intelligent, so thanks…"

Phoebe grunted irritably but it was only when Philip called from outside that she reacted. 

"Is everything alright Phoebe?" 

"Give me a moment," Phoebe replied a little shakily. As she stared back at Cole, she was convinced that he wasn't kidding so much anymore. She remembered this expression, when he used to tell her about his fantasies as foreplay. To her it was clear Cole was actually undressing her in his mind right this minute. The problem was that she felt the same way as she did then without even needing to hear those fantasies anymore. Not wanting Cole to know he'd hit a nerve, Phoebe elected to get back to the business that brought her there. "How about we look at the body together tomorrow? And don't kid yourself. I'm pretty good at recognizing cats' bites too…"

"See I knew you wanted to see me again…" Cole answered casually. 

"Are you gonna be there or not," Phoebe asked curtly to cover her discomfort.

"Aye, Aye, Captain. It's a date… Dress sexy!"

Phoebe shrugged impatiently before going out. 

As soon as she left, Cole's smile vanished. 

Outside, Phoebe walked right past Philip, worried that he'd see how flustered she was. There was little doubt in her mind that he might have heard parts of the conversation and she didn't want to have to answer embarrassing questions about it. Then again, Phoebe reflected, they would only be embarrassing because of the latent guilt she felt. 

"Phoebe," Philip tried as he hurried behind her. 

Phoebe was saved from answering him by the truck that came to a halt in the courtyard. Several natives came out of its back, carrying camping gear. Phoebe headed for them, leaving Philip even more uncomfortable. This time, it had nothing to do with the heat. 

"Bi mkubwa," one of the natives called to Phoebe. "Where do you want this?"

"Make camp outside this compound. I've got to go back to town tonight, but as soon as my business is done tomorrow, I'll need you to be ready to go up the mountain."

"It will be done," the man replied respectfully. 

They knew her as Abner's daughter and gave her the same respect they would give to him. That made things easier. For a moment, she wondered why she didn't tell Cole her true reasons for coming here, but she didn't want to dwell on that. There were many motives for this omission, not the least of which was the fact that Cole and Abner hated each other. She knew that it had weighed against their marriage as well. 

"Are we going back," Philip asked, interrupting her train of thoughts. 

"Just temporarily… I want to make sure Cole won't be able to talk his way out of it; so we'll examine the body together in the morning. They're keeping it on ice for the time being."

Philip grimaced at the image this brought to his mind. This and the casual manner in which Phoebe talked about this... He wasn't a wimp, but frankly, violent death wasn't something he liked to think about and it was strange that the woman he loved didn't seem bothered in the least by it. "Don't they have doctors to take care of that?"

"The report they gave was inconclusive. In fact, it said they found strange wounds and I wanna see them for myself."

"Are you having doubts?" Philip pursued as they climbed into the Rover. 

"You know why I'm here, Philip. I wanna know if this is related to Abner's disappearance."

"Why didn't you tell your ex-husband about Abner?"

"He doesn't need to know that…" Phoebe answered vaguely. She was now certain Philip heard most of the conversation. Avoiding looking his way, she put the Rover in gear and turned it back toward the road. 

Cole came out of the house to protest against this new invasion, but before he could say anything, Phoebe and her fiancée were already leaving. As he watched them going, Cole noticed something moving on the right side of the road. In the midst of the thick vegetation, he only saw a shadow and he strained to identify it, but whatever it was left before he could. Afterward, he couldn't see any more movement and dismissed it for a chimp or something similar.

By the time Cole returned his attention toward the natives, they were already setting up camp just outside the perimeter and he decided it wasn't worth wasting his breath on them. However, he intended for Phoebe to get an earful the next day.

The fact that even this thought was stimulating actually irritated him to no end. Cole shook his head vigorously, trying to chase away the image of Phoebe that he considered unwelcome given the situation. However, it did little to help and he decided that going back to work might at least distract him. He met with Mwaka halfway to the clinic and this one nodded towards the new arrivals. "What's all this?" He had come out to see what all the fuss was about as the natives were rather noisily busying themselves.

"Looks like "D" day to me… "

"I gather things didn't go smoothly with your ex-wife," Mwaka inquired when he saw the irritation written all over Cole's face.

"One might say that," Cole grumbled without looking at his assistant. Before Mwaka could question him further about it, Cole continued on his way to the clinic. "How could you leave Celia alone?" Cole called reproachfully. 

Mwaka shrugged, knowing he was being told to can it, and then he followed his boss inside.

~~~~~~

Late that night, on a mountain trail, two white men were walking through a dense forest, carrying torches to light the way ahead. One of them tightened his vest as he turned toward his companion. "No kidding. It's true it's getting cold out here." The man's English bore a heavy Dutch accent, same as his companion's when he replied.

"You're just looking for an excuse to go back."

"You've gotta admit those beasts did quite a number on Sigmund."

"Sigmund wasn't careful. We'll bring back the trophies and get the reward. They're just tigers, Klaus."

"I still have chills remembering his chest ripped opened."

"Stop thinking about it and concentrate on the trail. No so called great hunter from America will get credit for killing those cats. A woman too!" he spat. "What's this world coming to?"

"Gunter, you're such a macho."

"Better a macho than a wimp. Move your butt! I wanna be there at first light and surprise them." Gunter ordered impatiently. They went on for about ten more paces in silence and then Gunter stopped abruptly, listening intently. "It's too quiet," he whispered to his companion who was observing him curiously. Gunter observed the forest with the light from the torch while Klaus became even more nervous.

"Too quiet?" Klaus didn't expect an answer to this, as he simply lent a more attentive ear to his surroundings. A chill went down his spine when he realized his companion was right. He didn't know if it was from the cold or fear, but the sensation was utterly unpleasant. "Maybe we should turn back…" he tried again anxiously. He'd heard so many stories about the latest attacks and sightings. There was even a rumor that an entire hunting party vanished without a trace only a month before. The natives who told these stories all gave those different twists; but the scariest one spoke of a mythical beast, which would have come to avenge nature against men.

Meanwhile, Gunter only grunted irritably at his companion's comment. He knew what Klaus was thinking about and it just annoyed him that his friend might give credit to such stupid superstitions. There wasn't a shred of proof that the hunting party didn't simply leave without notifying the natives or weren't killed during an encounter with revolutionaries. He didn't even believe that the tigers might be responsible for that. 

When he found nothing out of the ordinary, he dismissed Klaus's fears completely and he took a few more steps ahead. However, a low growl on his left stopped him short. He swung the torch around but once again, saw nothing there. He stuck the torch in the ground and grabbed the rifle he had been carrying on his back. He only had time to arm it before he heard Klaus's agonizing scream behind him. He turned to see his companion being dragged off the trail while his legs trashed madly. The trees and thick vegetation prevented him from identifying what grabbed his companion. Klaus's torch had fallen in the middle of the trail and was rapidly waning. Without hesitation, Gunter shot three times toward the spot his friend disappeared in before heading back cautiously, leaving his own torch behind. He tried to hold his breath as he listened intently for any sign of the animal, but the silence enveloped him again and, for a long moment, nothing else happened. 

Gunter hesitated, wondering if he should try to find his partner, but fear held him in place. Suddenly, a branch cracked loudly behind him and next, he heard what seemed like an animal rushing by. Gunter swung around, aiming the rifle toward the disturbance. Panic started to grip his insides as he discharged several rounds towards each side of the trail, emptying the gun in the process. "You, sons of bitches; you won't get a bite out of me," he shouted nervously. With trembling hands, he tried to reach for more ammunition, while thinking that he felt like the one being hunted all of a sudden. He didn't finish his movement as he heard another growl behind him and again, swung toward it. By then, Klaus's torch was extinguished and suddenly, his own torch went out without warning. In the dark, and now shaking all over, Gunter circled in place, trying to find out where the next attack would come from. As his eyes acclimated to the moonlight, he thought he saw a shadow rushing by on his left and he reached once again for his ammunition. Before he could complete his movement, something large and powerful jumped at his back and claws dug deeply into his skin, causing him to scream from the atrocious pain. He tried to hit whatever was behind him with the butt of his rifle, but his attacker tackled him to the ground and the rifle slipped out of his hands. Gunter struggled frantically to escape the beast, who still pinned him down, but he suddenly felt teeth plunging deeply into the soft tissues of his throat and then nothing else…

~~~~~

Cole sat up abruptly, unsure what woke him up. He listened to the night but he heard nothing out of the ordinary. He looked at the clock and saw it was already five o'clock. His sleep had been animated with rather pleasant dreams, but now that he was awake, he knew he had to forget about those. How could Phoebe still cause him such a stir? He had been married to her almost a year and that was a lot more time than he'd ever devoted to one woman. Of course, she wasn't like other women. She was unorthodox, sometimes self-righteous, and mostly inhabited with an unbridled passion. The very contradictions that made up her personality were exactly what attracted him to her even now. Cole tried not to think about her, but he couldn't help reminiscing about their first meeting. They were the most unlikely match there ever was. Most of all because they were on either side of a conflict that seemed to hopelessly divide them rather than bringing them together. At the time, Cole had been more than just a little active in the animal rights movement. He used to participate in raids against high profile laboratories experimenting on animals and also in manifestations against well known hunters. These particular protests were rarely mentioned in the papers, but his group hoped it would somehow raise the awareness of those people they considered killers. 

On one such occasion, about thirty of them stood in front of the Halliwell house for three days, mostly making a lot of noise at night and waving banners. On the third evening, Phoebe came out of the house, staring at them severely. At first, Cole remembered that he had found her attitude hilarious, considering how small and unassuming she was. Yet, as he and his companions redoubled their loud insults and actually started throwing garbage toward the gate behind which she was standing, he had been forced to admire her determination. She had not flinched once to anything that was said or done and stood there until her father came out in turn and convinced her to go back in. Even then, she gave them one last defiant glare before following Abner inside. 

Cole didn't know exactly why, but he knew that he had to see her again. When it was decided that their protest would end in the morning, everybody left but him. He waited patiently until she got out of the house and then, without hesitation, he went to her, sporting his most charming smile in spite of the fatigue of a long sleepless night. Obviously, however, Phoebe wasn't very receptive at first, or so he thought. 

"Hello," Cole called to her through the gate as she was about to climb into a small red car. 

Phoebe turned a disdainful gaze toward him. "If you think that coming to me by yourself is gonna make a bigger impression on me than your whole gang, you're really mistaken."

"Well, I'm glad you noticed me. This is gonna be much easier than I thought," Cole replied without showing any sign that her rebuff bothered him in the least.

"Is that so?" Phoebe asked with a heavy hint of sarcasm. Yet, she didn't get into the car. "I'd say I would remember someone who was throwing garbage at me and calling me a killer only a few hours ago."

"Oh come on, that was just business. You can't hold that against me." Cole quipped as his smile widened. "Just the fact you're talking to me means you can learn to forgive and forget…"

"You are either completely delusional, or an asshole. I just can't decide which…" Phoebe replied, while apparently weighing the two options. However, it was obvious that she was holding back a smile and Cole took full advantage.

With his most charming expression, he pursued, "I'll go for asshole, although really some say I'm nuts too. Then again, I'm a nice asshole and I do crazy really nicely. Come on, give me a chance…It's obvious you want to…"

Phoebe took a few steps toward him, observing him closely before she spoke again. "Actually, what I want to do is to go back inside, get out my gun and convince you…nicely…to go away."

"Ouch," Cole exclaimed jokingly. "And here I thought I was making progress. But you know what? I think I'll stay here and wait for you to end my torment. You broke my heart, fair lady. Please aim at the chest and make it quick." All of this, he declaimed as if he was participating in some Greek tragedy. 

"Are all your friends as insane as you?"

"Nah," Cole replied with a renewed smile. "I'm definitely unique. You really should try to know me better."

"How about you get out of my way and I go to my meeting instead?"

"Girl, you really are a tough cookie. I'm giving you my best material here."

"If that's your best," Phoebe quipped as she opened the car door, "it's no wonder you have to spend your nights making such pointless protestations."

"Won't you give me a chance to prove you wrong?" Cole replied, unabated. "I know I could warm you right up if you'd let me…" At that point, Cole actually believed his goose was cooked and he was simply trying to push her buttons. 

Phoebe avoided answering his provocation and started the engine. Then, as the gate opened and she drove past him, she stopped the car, looking up with a teasing smile. "You're an outrageous man, but then again, I'm curious to see how much more outrageous you can get. I'm gonna give you another chance to impress me. I'll be at the "Losange" tonight at eight. Try to wash up before you get there. It's a little more sophisticated than the bars you no doubt frequent."

Cole was so flabbergasted that he didn't find anything more to say before she drove off. For a while, he had considered not showing up, but when the time came, he found he couldn't stay away. Less than three weeks later, they had eloped. 

~~~~

Even now, as Cole lay back in the bed, he wondered if it had been pure insanity. Yet, in the beginning he had been happier than ever before or after in his life, and he knew Phoebe was too. At first, their love blinded them both to their differences. Cole believed he could change Phoebe somehow. Her first impression had been the right one as he admitted now that he had been deluded in that respect. Phoebe also believed that she could mollify his convictions; that they could reach a compromise.

In truth, they might have, if it hadn't been for Abner. From their first meeting, Abner and Cole's mutual aversion had been intense to say the least. It was soon evident that they would never see eye to eye. Cole's mistake was to believe that an independent woman like Phoebe didn't need the approval of her father. In the end, however, he had to accept the fact that this was her Achilles Heel; and even more so, the beginning of the end for their marriage. Less than a year after their nuptials, Cole was spending more and more time with his old friends, while distancing himself from Phoebe and her father as he felt he was choking, stuck between the two of them. Then one day, Phoebe caught him in a compromising position with one of his female friends and it only gave her the perfect excuse to demand a divorce. He didn't know what hurt Phoebe the most at the time. The fact that she saw him for a cheat or that he didn't even try to defend himself. All Cole knew was that from then on, there was only bitterness between them. Cole, himself, thought that her eagerness to believe the worst of him was enough proof that they weren't meant to be together.

A loud bird call suddenly brought him back to the present and Cole realized that he was working himself into another bout of depression. Now wasn't the time. He needed all his wits about himself to defend his cats to her. In spite of the early hour, he got up and started pacing the room, trying to find a solution to the problem, but not really making much progress.

Later, Mwaka found him in the clinic, standing in front of an open locker where the tranquilizer gun was kept. 

"Exactly what are you intent on doing this morning?" Mwaka asked, startling Cole who hadn't heard him coming in. 

"What are you talking about?"

"I don't know; you tell me," Mwaka replied calmly. 

Cole turned toward his assistant slowly. "If you think I'm about to do something crazy…"

"Like trying to move the tigers elsewhere, for example?"

Cole shrugged irritably. The insane notion had actually entered his mind. However, for the last fifteen minutes, he had been staring at the gun and wondering how much more insane he could get. "What makes you think that?" Cole asked at last.

"Because I know you... Cole, didn't you tell me you were certain the tigers are not responsible?"

"I did…" Cole trailed.

"And even so… if they were…do you really think you could forgive yourself were they to kill someone else?"

"Did I ever tell you I don't like the way you're acting as my conscience?"

"I don't think I need to be your conscience, Cole. I just thought it was a good idea to remind you of your own…"

"Yeah…" Cole closed the locker slowly and he returned a serious gaze toward his assistant. "Well, I guess I've got to go on a drive then…"

"Don't worry; I'll take care of everything here."

"Thanks, Mwaka. And of course, this stays between us…"

"I don't even know what you're talking about," Mwaka replied with a smile.

"I've already checked on Celia, and I think I bored her to death with my little problems, so she should be quiet until I come back."

"Don't worry, Cole. I'm sure she doesn't hold it against you. She loves you…" Mwaka added teasingly.

"Who doesn't," Cole smiled impishly before heading for the door. 

Mwaka rolled his eyes emphatically as he said, "Mzungu (White man)."

~~~~~

Cole had been pacing the hallway in front of the morgue for at least fifteen minutes and he was getting seriously impatient. However, when he heard a door closing and then steps echoing around the corner, he stopped pacing and composed himself. When Phoebe saw him, he seemed utterly bored but not in the least impatient to see her. The little pinch to her heart irritated her more than the argument she just had with Philip for about thirty minutes before they finally got out of the hotel. They had butted head over Philip's outfit and after a lengthy discussion, Philip relented. This one was now following her with a more proper outfit on. Cole noticed it, but he also noted that if the clothes were more appropriate to the climate, they still looked too expensive and tacky. That gave him a petty satisfaction as he smiled lazily toward Phoebe. "Well," he said then, "it took you long enough. You know this guy is getting riper by the minute…"

"Are you ready," Phoebe replied, ignoring his sarcasm altogether.

"I've been ready for a while."

"Then let's get to this so we don't have to endure each other's presence much longer."

"Touché," Cole uttered comically. Phoebe shrugged before pushing open the door to the morgue while Philip stayed behind. "Hey," Cole called to him, "don't tell me you're too squeamish to go in? You've come all this way; you might as well see the show."

Philip winced unhappily. He didn't want to go in there at all, but he sensed that Cole was challenging him. The only reason he had come this far was that he didn't want Phoebe to be alone with her ex-husband for too long. "I was just waiting for you to go in first. It's your show. I'm only here as a spectator." He regretted this surge of misplaced pride as soon as he entered the morgue behind Cole. The smell was a lot worse than on the reservation. He couldn't remember ever smelling something so disgusting and his stomach revolted at this. Philip had to breathe deeply a few times not to throw up right then and there. Then, it was only his pride that kept him from running out when Phoebe unveiled the body after pulling the drawer out of the wall. 

The sight of the atrocious wounds made Philip dizzy but even as he vacillated in place, he didn't turn back. However, if he'd hope his discomfort went unnoticed, Cole took a mischievous pleasure in torturing him about it, telling Philip he wasn't fooling him in the least.

"Hey, man. Do you want me to get you a seat? You look pale." Cole told him with a mocking smile. "Don't sweat it though. It takes a lot of guts to stay cool in a place like this. Doesn't it Phoebe," Cole added when she cast a vicious glance his way.

"I don't think there's anything wrong in not liking to be with the dead, Cole."

"Did I say there was," Cole asked innocently. "I was just worrying about your fiancée, that's all."

"Stop this and come here. The sooner we're done, the sooner we can move on," Phoebe shot back, telling him she wasn't about to play the game. 

Cole gave another big smile in Philip's direction and then he came toward Phoebe and the body. "Well, I gotta admit; he's a bloody mess," he commented.

"And from the look of it, this was done by a big cat, Cole."

Cole grimaced unhappily. "Didn't take you long to decide that, now did it?"

"See for yourself Cole." Phoebe insisted as she indicated the chest wound. 

Instead of agreeing outright, Cole turned his attention to the skull. "Maybe I can accept there is a slight possibility the chest wound was inflicted by a big cat…but what about the skull fracture?" In saying so, Cole pointed at the cranial bone. "Tigers don't usually bash in their victims' heads."

Phoebe was tempted to dismiss this summarily, but she knew he would try to use it against her claim later. Instead, she examined the head wound carefully before giving him an answer. "I'm not an expert, I'll admit that much, but really, he may just have fallen on a rock during the attack." Inwardly, she reflected that this was probably the strange wound the pathologist referred to.

Cole stared at the wound for a moment longer, and then he moved on to the throat. "And how do you explain that the throat is intact? You know as well as I do that tigers go for the throat nine times out of ten."

"You just said it yourself; nine out of ten… Maybe if the victim fell and became unconscious, the cat decided to feast on him without killing him right away."

This was the last straw for Philip. Suddenly, he was imagining himself being feasted upon by a voracious tiger and nausea almost overpowered him. Without a word, he ran out of the morgue. 

"Sensitive isn't he," Cole commented with a mocking smile.

"Leave him out of it," Phoebe replied curtly.

"Oh I see he's not the only one who's sensitive. Then I guess you're a good match…"

"What do you care?" Phoebe asked then, realizing that she actually wanted to know with another pinch to the pit of her stomach.

"Me? Nothing… I'm just glad you found your other half," Cole answered in a falsely casual tone of voice. "But let's get back to the matter at hand. I still say this isn't proof of anything."

"Of course you'd say that." Phoebe had pain hiding her disappointment. Why didn't he care? 

"Again you got me," Cole added teasingly. "Are you talking about the body or my opinion on your relationship?"

"You're insufferable, Cole Turner. You know I was talking about the body. Why do you insist in making it about Philip?" 

"And you're not being honest right now. Looks to me like you wanted to flaunt your fiancée in front of me… What did you expect? That we'd fight over you?"

"You arrogant son of a bitch! I don't know why I thought we could reach an understanding."

"I'm with you there. We never could before…"

Phoebe stared at him angrily for a long moment and then after she covered up the body and let Cole push it back into the wall, she turned away from him and headed out of the morgue. 

Cole didn't follow right away. He knew he acted badly but Phoebe always had the effect to draw the devil out of him. "Wait," he called to her as she was about to close the door behind her. Cole reached her in a few strides and waited until she deigned looking at him before he spoke again. "You wanna know the truth?"

"I don't know what you're referring to…"

"It does bother me, Phoebe…"

"My conclusions about the body or…Philip?"

"Take your pick…"

Despite her resolution not to let Cole get to her, Phoebe felt a warm fuzzy feeling at this affirmation. Her worst fear, she realized then, was still that he might not care for her at all anymore. This seemed proof enough that her fear was unfounded. In his eyes, Phoebe could read all the regrets she'd hoped for. For a moment, she was tempted to throw caution to the winds and to kiss him then and there. However, the bitter memory of his betrayal came back to haunt her at this moment. 

For a brief instant, Cole believed that his sincerity had an effect on Phoebe, but when her eyes glazed over and she turned her back to him, he knew that there never was any chance. 

~~~~~~

Cole arrived first at the compound, soon followed by Phoebe and Philip. As soon as Phoebe got out of the Rover, Cole went to her, while indicating the natives angrily. In his eyes, there was no longer any sign of affection. "What did you leave them here for exactly? Were they supposed to watch me?"

"Did you need to be watched?" Phoebe replied harshly.

"Whatever," Cole dismissed impatiently. "Seems I can't do anything about it, so take them and go do your ugly business."

"You mean you don't have anymore objections?" Phoebe asked with obvious surprise.

"I have plenty of objections. However on the way here, I had time to think. If I don't let you do this, they'll take away everything I've worked for."

Phoebe sensed the pain in his voice and she had another pinch of remorse. Nevertheless, she had a goal in coming here and killing the tigers was only part of it. She couldn't allow Cole to keep her from it any longer. "Glad you're finally being reasonable. That's refreshing."

"To hell with you," Cole snapped before turning his back to her. He walked briskly away and Phoebe turned toward her bearers. Even from a distance, she saw that something was going on with the natives. She noticed one of Cole's men talking to her own men animatedly. The former indicated Cole emphatically and the others approved loudly, while gesticulating toward the vet in turn. She immediately headed for the leader among her bearers. "What's going on, Faraji?"

The man answered apologetically. "I'm sorry, Bi Mkubwa, but the men have a request and they are very insistent upon it."

"What is that?" Phoebe questioned suspiciously.

"They say those tigers are too dangerous and they want the Daktari who speaks to the beasts to come along."

"Where did they get…" Phoebe stopped herself, thinking back of the previous day and Cole's action towards the leopard. 

Meanwhile, Faraji insisted. "They say if he comes, they won't be so afraid."

"Aren't you all big courageous men," Phoebe challenged irritably.

"Courageous doesn't mean foolish," Faraji insisted. "I don't believe like them that the Daktari is some kind of good luck charm, Bi Mkubwa… But you have to admit, he knows those beasts."

"What makes you think he's gonna help us?" Phoebe asked as she turned toward where Cole was headed earlier. It seemed that Cole also noticed the agitation because he had stopped and was observing her and her men closely. "He's never gonna agree to that," she pursued firmly. "And besides, I don't want him there."

"With all due respect, Bi Mkubwa, if he doesn't come, I'm afraid my men will turn back."

"You know who I am," Phoebe replied angrily. "You know I'm the daughter of the great hunter. I won't let anything happen to your men."

"I may believe that, but I also believe it's better to put all the chances on our side. These tigers, they have inspired a lot of fear among the villagers. Many believe them to be supernatural."

"Bullshit," Phoebe snapped. Then, as she glanced at Cole again, she saw that he was observing her directly with the hint of a mocking smile. "Damn," she let out again before heading for him reluctantly.

"Problems," Cole questioned with obvious amusement. 

"Seems those natives think of you as Doctor Doolittle no less..."

"Really. Jeez I guess it's flattering," Cole replied.

"I don't think you'll find it so amusing when I tell you what they want."

"And what is that?" Cole asked with a slight frown.

"They want you to come with us…"

"What the fuck?"


	4. Second Sight Chapter 3

** Chapter III**

"**Y**ou can't possibly believe I'm gonna help you kill my tigers!"

"Look Cole…this doesn't enchant me in the least but…"

"No buts. Just can it!" Cole exclaimed angrily before turning his back to Phoebe and stomping away in just about the same fashion as he had the previous day. 

Phoebe wanted to go after him and force him to listen, but at the same time, she knew it was pointless. She glanced back at her bearers and from the look of them, they weren't very happy with her handling of the situation. "What the hell am I supposed to do," Phoebe grumbled angrily to herself. 

"Maybe you should wait until he calmed down," Philip said behind her, startling Phoebe. 

"I don't think he will," Phoebe replied dejectedly.

"First off, I doubt he'll stay mad forever. What's more, if I understood this right, there might be a way to make him see the necessity of cooperating." 

"And what would that be," Phoebe asked dubiously.

"Well… from what I gather, he's already agreed that letting you go ahead was the only way to prevent more damage to this place. If Cole coming along is the only way for you to complete your task…"

"Now, you're thinking like a rational man, Philip. You don't know Cole. Even if he could accept this, it would still take him more time than I have."

"From where I stand, you don't have much of a choice, Phoebe."

"Are you taking his side?" Phoebe growled.

"Come on, I'm not taking sides. In fact, it goes against my best interest since I'd rather leave this place sooner than later. I'm just saying it's obvious you're as impatient as he's intolerant. Give yourselves a few hours. There's no point in starting World War III. It won't help either of you."

"Somehow, I get the feeling I'm being chastised. Not a very pleasant sensation…" 

"You know I've got lots of respect for you," Philip tempered. "But I'm not blind. Don't ask me to ignore what's plain to see. Trust me, sweetie. Give him a few hours…"

"To hell with this!" Phoebe exclaimed. "I'll just get these natives to listen to reason." As she said this, Phoebe turned towards the bearers, making Philip uncomfortable at the way his fiancée treated him once again. This place seemed to have a very bad effect on her. Or most likely the company, Philip told himself as he glanced toward the clinic just as Cole slammed the door noisily behind him. 

~~~~~

"I don't believe her," Cole exclaimed angrily, as soon as he was inside. He started pacing the room in front of the cage, effectively getting himself not only Mwaka's attention, but also Celia's, who became agitated.

"Bwana?" Mwaka called to him. When Cole continued pacing and mumbling to himself as if no one else was there, Mwaka insisted loudly, "Cole!"

"What?" Cole shot back.

"What's wrong?"

"What's wrong?" Cole exclaimed emphatically. "What's wrong?" He repeated as if his assistant should have known. "What's wrong is that woman thinking that…" Cole interrupted himself, not even wanting to put it into words. He stopped in front of the cabinet and suddenly punched it forcefully, hurting himself in the process. "That bloody woman," he shouted while cradling his throbbing fist.

Celia tightened her hold on the baby and moved back fearfully toward the back of the cage.

"Cole, stop this!" Mwaka said severely.

"Phoebe's the one who's gotta stop," Cole pursued loudly. 

"You're scaring Celia!"

Cole glanced at Mwaka with obvious surprise. His assistant was glaring at him severely. Finally realizing what he'd been doing, Cole turned toward the cage and the frightened gorilla. The sight of her deflated his anger instantly. "I'm sorry…I didn't mean to…"

"Maybe, if you started from the beginning…" Mwaka offered graciously when his boss calmed down. 

"I don't think I can without getting mad again, Mwaka. I'm sorry about that," he reiterated sheepishly. "Phoebe's got an uncanny way of driving me up the coco tree."

"Ex-wives sometimes do," Mwaka replied reasonably. "Why don't you take a seat? I'll get us some drinks and you can tell me all about it."

"If you don't mind, I'd rather be alone. Besides, I've got some fences to mend," Cole added as he indicated Celia. He still took the seat Mwaka offered but it was obvious Cole was still on edge.

"Very well," Mwaka acquiesced, although reluctantly. "But I believe you'd be better off sharing. Maybe it wouldn't seem so bad…"

"Trust me, Mwaka. Even you will find it unbelievable." Cole cut in with renewed agitation. 

Mwaka saw that it was better to let Cole unwind. Besides, he figured he would know soon enough what the fuss was about. "I'll be outside if you need me."

"Yeah," Cole trailed tensely. 

After Mwaka left, Cole went to lock the door behind him and he started pacing again, although in a calmer fashion. "How can she be so insensitive? You wouldn't do that, would you," he asked the gorilla. "Of course you wouldn't. I should've known when I met Abner. I thought Phoebe wasn't like him… How stupid of me. She's just as stubborn and thoughtless as he is. Why should that surprise me? She kills for a living."

From the cage, Celia seemed to be observing him curiously. "What? You think I'm wrong?" He pursued as if the gorilla actually voiced a reproach. "Oh alright, I'm no angel, I know. But hell!" Cole stopped there and went back to his seat while still seething with anger. Celia cautiously moved toward him, and then she extended a hand through the bars while she held the baby against her chest with the other. 

Cole took the offered hand in his uncomfortably. "You think I'm overreacting do you? Well, maybe you're right," Cole said in a much more subdued tone of voice. "But you don't know what she wants…how could I do this? How can she ask me to do this?"

Celia gazed at him with what seemed a sad expression. "You think I'm pig headed too, don't you? Women," Cole sighed dejectedly. "Well," he said after a long moment, "will you let me have a look at you? Or will you make me regret my little outburst?"

As if the gorilla understood, she squeezed his hand lightly and then sat back in the cage, apparently waiting for Cole to come in. "That's a girl…"

~~~~~

With the help of Faraji, Phoebe tried every possible way to convince the bearers, but to no avail. According to their leader, they were reluctant to start with, but now that they believed she refused them an added safety net, they wouldn't listen to any reasonable argument. At some point, Phoebe irrationally began suspecting that Cole put them up to this. She even wondered seriously if the incident of the previous day was for show. As ridiculous as it was, she couldn't help resenting him for her new problem. Two hours later, she was no closer to a solution and Cole still hadn't resurfaced. She went to rejoin Philip, who was suffering in silence, sitting on the veranda with a drink in hand. When Phoebe came back toward him, she understood that he was still miffed at her because he didn't even look up. 

"Philip?"

Philip gave her a vague glance and then he returned his attention to his drink as if it was the most fascinating object in the world. 

"Alright, I'm sorry; you happy?" Phoebe said then, eliciting another gloomy look from her fiancée. 

"I'm not happy, but I guess I'll have to live with it." Philip finally answered.

"Oh come on, Philip. I was upset…"

"And you still are…I understand that. I just wish you showed me the same respect you used to…"

"What are you talking about?"

"Recently, I've had the distinct feeling that you think of me as some sort of burden you've been stuck with and not the man you said you wanted to marry because you loved me and respected my intelligence. That's what."

"You can't blame me for the circumstances, Philip. Nothing's changed. I'm just…"

"Unnerved would be a word for it; although stubborn and thoughtless also come to mind."

"You know what's at stake here. I need to find out what happened…"

"Why did you need Cole's approval at all? You could've just gone on. You had all the credentials; and if you had, we might not be stuck in this ridiculous situation."

"Coming here was a start…Cole might've known something. Besides…" Phoebe hesitated slightly before she pursued, "if I was gonna kill those tigers, no matter how justified I was, I felt I had to tell Cole first."

"Isn't this the same guy you told me betrayed you?"

"It's not that simple."

"So I see," Philip retorted seriously. 

Phoebe bit her lips uncertainly before taking a seat beside her fiancée. "Look, it's over between Cole and me if you're worried about that. That doesn't mean there isn't anything left. I did marry him. I…"

"You loved him." Philip finished reasonably.

Phoebe cast a quick glance toward the clinic as she said, "Loved being the operating word. But Philip, I respect his devotion to his work…"

"Why don't you tell him?"

"No…"

"Why not?"

"I don't want him to get the wrong idea."

"This is ridiculous. It could only help you…"

"I'm going to kill those tigers, Philip. Nothing I can say is gonna make any difference to Cole."

"So now that's a certainty? You're sure of your facts?"

"At least, it's very likely. The last victim died less than five kilometres from those tigers' territory. I've talked to a few indigenous as well as a researcher who surveyed the lion population in these parts. The nearest pride is almost sixty kilometres from there in the other direction…"

"A rogue lion, maybe? You told me those were unpredictable…"

"It's very unlikely…"

"Then, if you really believe that, you've got to tell Cole…"

"He already knows and he's agreed to stop protesting because he didn't have a choice. He's not gonna listen to anything else…It probably broke his heart just to know I was gonna do it. But to ask him to come along and possibly watch them die…"

"If they killed a man, you're amply justified, Phoebe. And as for Abner… Since it's most likely something else that caused his disappearance, I don't see why you can't talk about it…"

"If I tell Cole about Abner, he'll think I'm on a vendetta. It won't matter what I believe. He'll never trust I gave them a chance…"

"Did you?" Philip questioned calmly.

"Why are you trying to play devil's advocate? You know what I did. I went to great lengths to find out as much as I could rather than rushing out there…"

"Then why don't you tell that to Cole?"

"He's not like you…"

"Maybe you're not giving him enough credit. Just like you weren't giving me any credit earlier…"

Phoebe turned to him apologetically. "I'm sorry again. Sincerely…I…"

"You were upset," Philip said with a little smile. "So what are you gonna do?" 

"Well, first I'll do this," Phoebe said as she kissed him on the lips affectionately.

"That's a good start," Philip uttered softly as she sat back. 

"And considering it's getting late, I'll follow your first advice and give Cole some time… We can't leave now anyway…"

Phoebe still looked tense to Philip. "Do you think there's a chance?"

"No," Phoebe replied quickly. "If Abner was alive, he'd have come home by now. I just need to find out what happened to him and to finish the job he started. I owe this to Abner." Just then, another vehicle was heard coming up the road and Phoebe, glad to find a distraction, cast a curious glance in that direction. "Well, it's a like Grand Central out here."

~~~~~~~

Cole had spent most of the last two hours uselessly arranging and rearranging equipment in the clinic. When he finally got tired of this pointless activity, he looked around for anything else that would keep him from having to face Phoebe and the others. Not that he felt any form of shame for his actions but he knew he would have to give her his answer at that point. For now, he was still stalling. "Come on, Celia. Don't you need me for something? Anything?" 

The gorilla looked up curiously at hearing her name. "Right…I shouldn't ask you to give me excuses. Damn!" Cole turned to the door and wondered again how he could do this. He was still pondering his lack of options when a discreet knock caught his attention. "Go away," he spat irritably.

"Is that how you greet a friend?"

"Paul? What the hell are you doing here," Cole said as he unlocked the door for his friend and employer. Paul wasn't alone. A tall brunette was by his side. She had soft blue eyes and a very slim body fit either for sport or modelling. He concluded that she must be Paul's new girl as she looked like the kind Paul would hang out with. She smiled engagingly but before she could introduce herself, Paul practically pushed Cole out of the way to enter ahead of her.

Meanwhile he answered Cole's bewildered question in jest. "Well, I figured I'd better get my butt into Africa before you blew it out of existence. You know…see it again one last time."

"Were you afraid I'd overreact?" Cole asked sarcastically.

"The thought never crossed my mind." Paul quipped.

Cole gave an apologizing smile to the girl at this point and then returned his attention to Paul. "Who's with you?"

"Oh sorry, Kathy…Meet Cole the hot head Turner."

"Hey," Cole exclaimed.

"So," Paul continued, "I'm guessing that the surge in population around here is not on my payroll…cause if it is, it's coming out of your pay."

"Boy you're so funny," Cole replied without even the hint of a smile. Nevertheless, inwardly, he was actually grateful for his friend's gritty humor. He had needed some distraction badly. However his relief was short lived.

"And me who thought I was hilarious," Paul teased before becoming serious. "Alright, let's drop the small talk. When are you coming out of hiding?"

"I'm not hiding," Cole almost shouted.

"Funny, the general impression out there is that you are…"

"Would the general impression have a name by any chance?" Cole questioned, while barely containing his temper. 

"Pipe down big guy. Mwaka was worried about you. He's actually glad I'm here. If I understood him correctly, he got it in his head another pig-headed white man might have more chances to get through to you. Of course he's delusional, but I figured I'd give it a try anyway."

"Are you trying to help, or to make things worse?"

"Well, I got in here, which is more than anyone else has done in the past two hours."

"Nobody tried..." Cole grumbled irritably.

"Nobody dared…" Paul retorted.

Cole rolled his eyes impatiently. "If you've got a reason to be here besides annoying me…?"

"I told you, I came here for sight-seeing…"

"Yeah, right…and Kathy's come to do some sight-seeing as well?"

"I'm your replacement," Kathy responded for Paul.

"What?!!!" Cole exclaimed loud enough to be heard across the courtyard as he swirled toward her.

~~~~~~

From the veranda, where he and Phoebe were still sitting, Philip looked up at the loud scream. "Huh, I thought this Paul was supposed to talk him down…"

"Looks like he's had as much success as I did," Phoebe commented. In truth, she was relieved that she wasn't the only one having the power to make Cole mad. Up to that point, this particular skill seemed bestowed upon her alone. Then she corrected herself unhappily. And Abner…

~~~~~~

"Cole, calm down," Paul tried reasonably.

"Calm down?" Cole replied still much too loud. "I thought we agreed there was no need to replace me…"

"She's not here to replace you permanently," Paul offered. "I was just thinking that you were somewhat high strung with what's been going on lately. Kathy here is a very competent vet and she's willing to replace you for a little while."

"You want me to leave now?" Cole asked incredulously.

"I was hoping you'd come along for a short vacation. You know how I don't like to travel all by myself. I thought we could, relax, drink, and have some fun for a change."

"I've got all the fun I want right here." Cole countered.

"Oh right and the little overseas call from yesterday was also all part of the fun package?"

"So you figured, "Cole is pissed, let's pick the first vet that comes along and replace him without even notifying me ahead?""

"No…I figured if I told you ahead, you'd have thrown the offer back in my face."

"Good guess. Consider your face stuffed with it. No offence, Kathy, thanks, but no thanks."

"Now wait Cole. The vacation was my first idea, but when I got here, I heard that you might really have a use for Kathy…"

Cole's heart sunk when he realized his stalling was just about over. 

When he didn't say anything, Paul pursued, "Does this silence mean you had time to reconsider your outburst of earlier?"

"I don't wanna do this Paul," Cole replied glumly. He knew what was coming.

"You and I both know you don't have a choice. Whoever leads this expedition needs the help of those men out there. Assembling a team that's gonna be willing to go and then bring them here would take considerable time; plus those natives know the terrain better. From what I hear, they won't go up without you and well…you know what I told you about the government's position on this issue. I wish it didn't have to be like this but…"

"But it does…" 

"Just about how long ago did you work that out?"

"About two seconds after sending Phoebe to hell…" Cole replied somewhat guiltily. "Doesn't mean I had to like it," he added quickly.

"I'm sure even Phoebe knows how hard it must be."

"I wouldn't be so sure," Cole shot back with renewed irritation.

"Ok, I see that the P word is still taboo. Let's avoid that for now. At any rate, it's too late for anything today."

"Well, Kathy," Cole said more calmly as he turned toward the young woman, "I'm sorry for the attitude…It had nothing to do with you and…. thanks for the help."

"Oh don't worry. From what Paul told me, I was expecting Vesuvius in eruption. As things stand, I might even learn to like you."

"See," Cole said for Paul with a smug expression, "I told you I was irresistible." 

"Good work Kathy," Paul complained. "Now instead of yelling, we'll be treated to his cocky attitude all night."

"Don't pay any attention to him," Cole dismissed. "Let me introduce you to my best friend…no not him," Cole pushed Paul out of the way playfully, "her…" he said as he led Kathy toward Celia's cage.

~~~~~~~

Paul and Kathy were sipping cold drinks in the sunroom later that evening and Kathy questioned Paul about the man she came to replace. "Cole is rather unstable isn't he?"

"Oh no…you shouldn't make up your mind about him from what you saw… I know what it looked like but in reality, these are bad circumstances. Usually he's the coolest guy. There are only two things which have the potential to drive him to those extremes and if they're combined together…well, you saw…"

"What are those?"

"First, don't ever threaten his animals…and second, nobody should mention anything related to his divorce or his ex-wife in particular. That's something I picked up quickly about him."

"It's just I thought he ran hot and cold rather fast. It's unsettling."

"I can see how disconcerting that might be. Cole is not big on conflicts, but when provoked, he goes ballistic pretty quickly. I think it's that, more than anything else, which caused the break up. I must say, I had never met his ex-wife, but now I'm starting to see what the problem was…"

Earlier, when he finally got Cole to leave the clinic, his friend had been calmer if not happier. Then, less than thirty seconds later all hell broke loose again. All it took were a few harsh words from Phoebe. In truth, Paul was convinced it was partly jealousy that caused her outburst. Cole was talking to Kathy animatedly while walking arm in arm with her. Paul even wondered if Cole hadn't tried to provoke Phoebe on purpose, and whether or not it was his intention, it worked. Rather than being grateful when Cole agreed to her terms, Phoebe immediately started on him about the time it took him to come out and the fact that she'd lost another day over this. 

"Didn't I tell you about her," Cole shot angrily at Paul, only increasing Phoebe's ire. Kathy pulled away from Cole at that point and Paul couldn't blame her for being a little worried. Phoebe was getting more upset by the moment. 

"You knew what you were doing, Cole Turner. You stalled on purpose. What did you think? That I'd leave as if nothing happened?"

"Now that would've been an idea. Why didn't you?"

"You still act like an Ostrich, Cole. When an argument annoys you, you hide your head in the sand. Ignoring a problem doesn't make it go away."

"Well, it sure as hell made me feel better for a couple hours."

"What's next? Are you gonna try to slip out?"

Cole glared at her without a word as he knew if he answered this, he might regret it. However, her next words were so hurtful, he couldn't contain himself.

"What's it gonna be Cole? Are you gonna leave again? That's what you're good at after all."

"Shut up!"

"No I won't shut up and I won't let you flee your responsibilities again. I'll stay right here until tomorrow."

Cole took a threatening step towards her, but Paul moved between them, while Philip came quickly to Phoebe's side. Right then, Paul saw that Cole also became more upset. "Alright, let's calm down. Cole already agreed to go with you," Paul said as he turned to Phoebe, "I can guaranty he's not bailing out on you."

"Paul, stay out of this!" Cole growled.

"I rather think you need a referee here. Why don't we all take a deep breath...?"

"Yeah, Cole. Listen to your friend," Phoebe uttered sarcastically.

"Besides," Paul added for her, "it looks like your men are getting antsy."

Phoebe shot a look at the group of natives and she realized that her temper earned her more discontent. With great effort, Phoebe managed to tone down her attitude. "I'm sorry," she said barely above a whisper.

"What's that? I'm not sure I heard right…" Cole asked while staring angrily at Phoebe.

"Cole," Paul warned.

Phoebe was getting upset again, so while Paul practically dragged Cole back toward the house, followed by a wary Kathy, Philip led Phoebe away with just as much difficulty. After that, Cole didn't talk to Paul at all, but Paul caught him staring outside quite a few times throughout the next few hours. Then, as night fell, he went out without a word. For a short moment, Paul wondered if Phoebe wasn't right about him, but he chastised himself right away. Contrary to her affirmation, Paul knew Cole wasn't a quitter. Stalling yes, but not quitting. Besides, his friend knew what was at stake… 

~~~~~~

Phoebe was sitting in a tent the natives mounted for her and Philip, while she stared at the house distractedly. Deep down, she knew she had gone too far earlier. She also was aware that this had nothing to do with losing a lousy day, but rather with her feeling that Cole bailed on her five years ago. Philip seemed thankfully asleep beside her. He had not been thrilled at the idea of sleeping in the tent when there was a perfectly good house less than fifty feet away. However, Phoebe couldn't possibly ask for them to stay over after what she said to Cole. 

Philip then tried to convince her to go back to town, but Phoebe was adamant on staying there. By then, it wasn't about her worrying that Cole might leave, but mostly because she wanted to get an early start in the morning. On the other hand, Phoebe tried to convince Philip that he should go back and wait for her return, but her fiancée didn't see it this way. 

"I don't relish the idea of this little camping trip, but I'm not gonna leave either, Phoebe."

"Come on, Philip. This isn't gonna be like a pleasure cruise. You've never been on a safari."

"I still won't leave you alone with that guy."

"Cole? Didn't I tell you you've got nothing to worry about…? It's over…"

"I'm mostly worried about his temper, Phoebe. I think I need to stay with you…"

Phoebe gave Philip an incredulous glance at this and then she burst out laughing. "You don't seriously believe he would hurt me do you?"

"I saw the look on his face today. I don't think you realize how angry your ex-husband got."

"Cole would never, ever hurt me; or any woman for that matter. He gets really upset and he may be stubborn and insufferable, but he's not violent. In fact, sometimes, I'd have preferred that."

"You can't be serious, Phoebe," Philip exclaimed.

"I don't mean like hitting…" Phoebe countered quickly. "I meant, he would just…walk away and let things hanging in the air. I'm even surprised he stayed long enough for you to see him this upset…Sometimes, I wonder if he went to that girl to escape our marriage." Phoebe glanced back at the house while saying this with a strong hint of regret. 

Philip remained silent for a long moment, his discomfort with the situation growing exponentially by the minute. He decided to change the focus of the conversation. "I'd still prefer coming with you," he said at last. "After all if we're gonna get married, I'd like to see this other side of you."

Phoebe turned a vaguely annoyed gaze toward Philip. "There's no if, Philip. Nothing's changed. And I assure you, you're getting the best part of me. You don't have to put yourself through the ringer to prove anything."

"I want to do this…"

"Alright, if you're sure…?"

"Yeah, I'm sure," Philip answered firmly before pulling Phoebe to him. He kissed her softly then, but it was obvious that she wasn't receptive.

"I'm sorry, Philip…not a very good time for me," she apologized.

"It's alright. I understand. We'll have plenty of time for that."

Phoebe managed a smile. "Yes, plenty..."

Thirty minutes later, Phoebe simply couldn't find sleep. She was impatient to find out what happened to her father, as she believed it would bring peace to the both of them. Moreover, this unresolved argument with Cole augured badly for the next few days in the wilderness. She was just thinking she wished they could resolve this when she saw Cole coming out of the house and she became even more upset at the flutter in the pit of her stomach. That he could still make her feel this way after all those years was unsettling for Phoebe. She remembered that first time when he came to her. She was hiding her interest behind sarcasm, but he had seen through it. At least at first... She also remembered how satisfying the look of surprise on his face was when she invited him on a date. 

For a moment, she was tempted to go to him, but one look at Philip, along with her conflicted feelings told her it wasn't a good idea. Instead she tried concentrating on the ambient sounds, as they usually eased her to sleep better than any lullaby. With a little smile, she realized that in truth, the sounds of the night were the closest to such a thing she ever had. At least since her mother died when she was five. Abner never remarried out of loyalty to the wife he'd lost. From the moment they were alone with each other, Abner and Phoebe grew much closer. At least as close as a father can get to his daughter. He wasn't a mother however. Phoebe learned early on the value of taking responsibilities, and she also found it difficult to please her father sometimes, but that didn't keep her from loving him dearly. 

Throughout her childhood and even as an adult, Phoebe strived to do just that. Many of the arguments between Cole and her centered over her tendency to try pleasing Abner. Her father thought that he was an obsessed idealist, unable to accept reality for what it was. He sometimes went as far as calling Cole a coward for refusing to understand how nature worked. However, this wasn't the worse problem they had. Her father's dislike of Cole didn't just take root in his actions as an animal activist and the fact that Cole detested their line of work. Abner didn't believe for a moment that Cole wouldn't stray. He thought of Cole as a playboy only after their money.

At first, Phoebe tried to defend Cole to her father, as she didn't want to believe that. However, her father had planted the seed of doubt in her mind and, as time went by, she raised this issue with Cole more than once, always with an ugly result. In the end, Phoebe couldn't be certain if they grew apart because Cole never loved her as much as she loved him; or rather because he couldn't stand the constant scrutiny and arguments as he told her. No matter what it really was, when she found him with that girl in the shower, Abner's words weighed heavily on her mind and she couldn't even imagine trying to repair the damage. Her only problem was that she had loved Cole so much, it took her a long time to even start living again after their divorce. Even now, she couldn't keep some of those feelings from resurfacing.

It had taken until she met Philip before she began trusting that she could let herself love again and even then, Abner had not approved of him either. He thought Philip was too mild mannered and not strong enough for his little girl. In a way, this had been an eye opener for Phoebe. She understood that her father would never accept another man in her life. Maybe her conflicted feelings were in direct relation to that revelation, she reflected then. If she still resented Cole for what he'd done to her, she also knew that she and her father had a lot of responsibility for their problems. Would things have turned out differently if she had not listened to Abner? Phoebe sighed deeply, as this renewed uncertainty about her feelings was eating up at her. 

~~~~~~

"I think I'll go see what's keeping Cole," Kathy announced suddenly.

"I wouldn't worry about him," Paul offered. "He's probably checking up on that gorilla."

"All the more reason; starting tomorrow, she's gonna be my patient."

Kathy got up without waiting for a reply and after giving Paul a vague smile, she headed out of the house. Paul watched her going with mixed feelings. He wasn't too worried about his success with women, but he had actually set his sights on this one almost from the moment they met. Now, it was obvious that even if she thought that Cole was a little weird, it didn't stop Kathy from being attracted to him. Paul had seen it happen more than once. Sometimes, he wondered how none of those women realized that Cole had no interest whatsoever in a long term relationship. Or was that the attraction? "Women," Paul grumbled.

~~~~~~~

Phoebe elected to try getting some sleep in spite of her troubled thoughts. She figured maybe in the morning things would be better. After all, it wasn't the first time by far that Cole and she had words and then were back on speaking terms quickly. Of course, at the time, the circumstances were very different, she admitted to herself. Outside, she heard a door closing and as she wondered if it was Cole going back inside the house, she suddenly became aware of something else. Only minutes ago, the night had been alive with night birds' calls and other familiar sounds, but now there was no sound at all. Curious and slightly anxious, Phoebe grabbed a vest and her rifle before going out and walking cautiously toward the courtyard. She stopped in the middle of the compound, which was illuminated by powerful floodlights on four points. From there, she could see most of it clearly. In the house, someone was sitting in the sunroom, but she couldn't tell whether it was Cole, the girl or Cole's friend as whoever it was only showed the back of their head to her. 

Phoebe turned on herself slowly, peering at the darkness beyond the circle of light. A sharp sound attracted her attention, but when she turned toward it, she saw that one of her men was busy extinguishing the last of their fire. He was alone outside the tents and it was obvious everyone else had already turned in. For a second, she mocked herself for being so anxious, but right then, loud panicked cries from a variety of animals resounded, coming from the vicinity of the clinic. Phoebe tensely shouldered the gun and she began walking quickly in that direction. Almost at the same time, the door to the clinic opened on Cole, soon followed by Kathy, and Phoebe glared at them for a second before continuing toward the back of the building. Cole came after her quickly. "What did I tell you about carrying a gun around here," he exclaimed angrily. 

"Quiet," Phoebe warned sharply. 

Cole almost protested further, but something in her voice stopped him. Even that one word had sounded tense. Phoebe stopped near the cages, and they both could see that the animals were extremely agitated, as if some predator was stalking them. Cole began looking around as well, but the lighting wasn't as good there as it was in the courtyard and he could barely distinguish the vegetation behind the cages. "What do you think this is," he asked at last.

"Maybe the leopard came back…" Phoebe answered distractedly. She was trying to concentrate on their surroundings, but now the anxious voices of her bearers mixed in with the animals' agitation. 

Indeed, most of them were coming out of their tents and looking about anxiously, some of them also carrying firearms. 

Inside the house, Paul had been dozing off in the rattan chair, but he picked up on the growing panic and came out quickly. The first thing he saw was Kathy coming back toward him nervously. She was glancing left and right as if she expected to be attacked at any moment.

"What's going on," Paul asked as soon as she was close enough. 

"I don't know," Kathy answered shakily. "The animals started panicking. Cole and this huntress are back there, checking on them."

Paul saw that the young woman was crumbling and he indicated the house to her. "Get inside. You'll be safe there."

Before going in with obvious relief, Kathy said, "Not a good start for me is it? You must think I'm a cowardly girl."

"I don't think that at all. Better safe than sorry," Paul said with a reassuring smile. "Nobody's asking you to prove anything by getting hurt. There are enough people with weapons here anyway." Paul added when he saw some of the natives spreading around, obviously searching for the cause of the agitation. Philip was also coming out of his tent and watching the sudden activity anxiously. Paul signalled for him to come closer and Philip didn't need to be asked twice, even as he wondered where Phoebe went. 

Meanwhile, the black man, who was extinguishing the fire earlier, had also been the first one to go investigate. Long before his companions, he was at the edge of the light circle and walking along, tensely searching for any movement in the night. He didn't notice the two large eyes through the grass, reflecting the light from the floodlights. As the others began pouring out of the tents, the man glanced back at the camp and let out a muffled grunt when something hit him hard in the back of the head. Without anyone noticing, he was immediately dragged away into the night. 

Behind the clinic, the animals began calming down almost as fast as they had started panicking. Neither Cole, nor Phoebe saw anything that could have caused this outburst. As the animals became silent, Phoebe found that the normal background sound was back and it only reassured her partly. What could have caused all this? She had no answer to that and it was making her nervous not to know. She didn't know why, but she felt there was something creepy about it. She was still so tensed that when Cole spoke again, she almost jumped.

"What was that about?"

Phoebe didn't answer right away, slowly dropping the barrel of her rifle toward the ground before she turned to Cole. "Like I said, it could have been that leopard returning…"

"Maybe…" Cole replied uncertainly. He also sensed that something was off but without knowing how to describe the sensation. "Let's go back. Maybe one of the others saw something."

"Yeah," Phoebe agreed grudgingly. 

Cole picked up on her hesitation. "If you wanna stay here, be my guest. Just don't shoot anything…" He said before turning his back to her.

Phoebe almost let him go, but she figured now was as good a time as ever. "Cole…"

"Please, spare me the bitter comments. I'm sorry, shouldn't have said that. Thanks for helping. Happy now?"

"Although that was uncalled for," Phoebe couldn't help commenting, "that's not what I wanted to talk about."

"I don't believe we have anything to talk about Phoebe. You've got what you wanted. I'll go with you and I'll try to remain civil, but that's where it stops."

As Cole was starting back, Phoebe called to him insistently. "Cole!"

"Phoebe, please. Can't you satisfy yourself with what I said?"

"I wanted to tell you…I mean… I'm sorry for this afternoon."

Cole hesitated, unsure what she was really sorry about. "Fine…but you already apologized."

"I didn't mean it then," Phoebe admitted. 

"Nice of you to be honest... So now you mean it?" Cole questioned with contempt.

"Are you trying to make me mad again?" Phoebe asked irritably.

Cole remained silent for a few seconds and then, he turned to her calmly. "I'm sorry too. I was just…"

"Pissed?" Phoebe suggested.

"That would be a good description for it," Cole replied more lightly. 

"I just wanted you to know, I wish I didn't have to do this…"

"Really," Cole frowned uncertainly. "Isn't this what you do? Don't answer that," Cole pursued quickly. "Alright, I'll take your apology, but don't expect me to be all smiles. I'm going with you under duress."

"I know," Phoebe trailed. 

Without saying more, they headed back toward the courtyard where most of the bearers were already assembling. Mwaka and his men were among them.

"Anyone see something out there?" Cole asked around.

All present answered by the negative. Cole then saw Paul and Philip coming toward him and Phoebe and he suddenly wondered about the young woman. "Paul, where's Kathy?"

"Don't worry; she's inside, safe and sound." Paul answered while noticing the unhappy look Phoebe gave Cole when he inquired about the other vet. However, it had been a fleeting moment and as soon as Philip was by her side, Phoebe seemed to ignore Cole altogether. Paul observed her a moment longer, and then he decided that maybe he saw something that wasn't there. 

"I want three men to take the first watch," Phoebe announced firmly after reassuring Philip that she was fine. "I don't know what came this way, or if the animals started panicking for no reason, but I'm not willing to take that chance."

Cole and the others approved of the idea and Mwaka suggested he should take the first watch with his own men. To this, Phoebe had an objection. "I'd prefer one of my men be with you. They have weapons, whereas you don't."

"Phoebe, it's not necessary," Cole countered.

"I just think it's better for everyone's safety."

Cole sighed in annoyance, but he didn't protest. "Well then, maybe the rest of us should at least try to get some sleep." He was already heading back toward the house when he stopped abruptly. Turning halfway toward Phoebe and Philip, he said, "You're welcome to sleep in the sunroom if you'd like. I don't have anymore guest rooms to offer but it still would be more comfortable than your tent."

"That's ok," Philip answered quickly, surprising Phoebe. "We're gonna be fine in the tent, thank you."

Cole glanced curiously at Phoebe and then when she didn't say anything, he shrugged and left.

"Philip? I thought you didn't like to sleep outside?" Phoebe asked her fiancée after the others re-entered the house and the natives started back toward their tents.

"It's not so bad and besides, what do I have to fear with a great hunter like you?" Philip replied with an uneasy smile. He'd also noticed the look Phoebe gave Cole earlier and he wanted them as far away from each other as possible. 

"If you're sure," Phoebe questioned uncertainly. It seemed strange to her considering what just happened, but she also reflected that Philip might have wanted her to see he wasn't getting scared easily. She thought it was misplaced pride, but at the same time, it warmed her inside that he wanted to gain her respect like this. "Like Cole said, we should get some sleep. Tomorrow is gonna be a long day."

"Yeah," Philip simply answered while offering his arm. 

~~~~~~

It wasn't until the next morning that Faraji noticed the absence of one of his men. He asked around about him, but no one had seen him. In the end, Faraji simply concluded that the man had returned to his village. In fact, he was surprised that no one else left; particularly after the little scare of the previous evening… 

Cole came out of the house as they were starting to pack and he gave the men a curious look when he saw them put their gear in the truck. Puzzled, he headed for Phoebe's tent. "Phoebe," he called to her from just outside her tent.

Phoebe came out of the tent already fully clothed and ready for the trip. "What is it?"

"You don't expect to go up the mountain with this truck, now do you?"

"We're not going there right away, Cole." Phoebe answered with just a hint of hesitation.

"Didn't you say you were in a hurry to get it done?"

"I didn't think you were this impatient to see your tigers dead," Phoebe answered curtly. She regretted the words the moment they were out, and even more so when she saw Cole's expression darkening noticeably. "I'm sorry, I didn't…"

"What is it exactly that you intend to do," Cole cut her sharply.

"There's still something I have to check before we go up. It's about twenty kilometres from here."

"Where they found the body?" Cole asked, guessing that she wanted to investigate this further.

"Yeah," Phoebe answered, although she seemed uncomfortable. 

"Is there something else I need to know?" Cole asked then.

"Nothing…I'm just gonna make sure there's no mistake. That's all. You should be glad I'm doing it."

"I guess," Cole trailed. He couldn't help thinking that something escaped him about Phoebe's attitude, but he saw that if this was the case, Phoebe had no intention of telling him what it was, so he gave up on trying to find out for the moment. What could be worse than killing his tigers anyway? "Well, I'll be ready when you are," he finally said before turning his back to her and heading for the clinic.

~~~~~~

Paul, Kathy and Mwaka remained behind to take care of the compound, and the others were soon on their way. The bearers were riding in the truck, while Cole, Phoebe and Philip headed the small convoy in Phoebe's Land Rover. They were accompanied by one of the natives, whom Phoebe brought along because he was the one who found the body five days ago. They had been riding on the uneven trail for about an hour when the black man pointed insistently at a spot near a sparse forest and Phoebe stopped the convoy to go investigate with Cole in tow. 

"Not much to see here," Cole commented after a few minutes. "What did you expect to find?"

"As a matter of fact, not much from this, but I had to see it first. I've got something else to check up on, and it's a little further south…"

"What now," Cole questioned in surprise. 

"It's just another rumor that's been going around among the natives. Faraji and I will take the Rover. You can stay here with the bearers and get some rest. As soon as I return, we'll attack the mountain."

"Phoebe…is there something you're not telling me? What's this rumor and why didn't you tell me about it before?"

Phoebe was obviously reluctant to talk about it, so Cole insisted. "Look, I know I wasn't too keen on coming along, but frankly, if this is related to the tigers, I think I have a right to know. Besides, don't you want to convince me?"

"There have been reports of more possible victims. No bodies have been found, but more people were reported missing. They were last seen about twenty kilometres from here and never heard of again. I feel I owe them to try finding them or their remains."

"Are you saying you think the tigers killed more people?" Cole asked uneasily, as he also guessed she intended to scour the trail between here and there.

"I can't say for sure, but while I'm here, I want to find out what happened."

Cole sensed that Phoebe was holding something back. "I think I'll go with you, Phoebe. I'm not in the mood to wait around and if you find anything that might disculpate my tigers, I wanna make sure you won't keep it from me."

"I wouldn't," Phoebe exclaimed in outrage.

"Then you won't have any objection if I come along, right?"

"Do what you want," Phoebe replied impatiently. Inwardly, she began to wonder if she shouldn't tell him everything; but at the same time, she still had a lingering doubt and she couldn't bring herself to do it just yet.

When Philip saw Cole climbing in the Rover, he immediately followed him in. He had intended to wait here with the bearers and to find some relief from the heat in the shade provided by the trees, but he had no intention of letting Cole and Phoebe go without him. Phoebe gave him a surprised gaze, but she didn't protest before putting the car in gear, while Cole only served him a passing glance. All of them remained very quiet during the drive.

As a matter of fact, Phoebe was soon lost in thoughts about her father and what really brought her here. In a way, even if she was sad, she knew that Abner would have wished to die in the field. He wasn't the kind of man to die of old age in his bed as he would have considered this a shameful end. After confirming that the last known victim had fallen to the tigers and not to some group of fanatics, she was almost convinced that whatever happened to Abner might not be related to the tigers. At first, she had feared that some of Cole's activist friends were responsible for killing Abner's party, and then the poacher. That was the first reason for her reluctance to talk about her father. Although this remote possibility still existed, Cole's antics at the compound quickly convinced her that he had nothing to do with it and that was a relief. Even if the idea that he might be involved had only vaguely entered her mind, it had still been a disturbing one. In fact, she was so troubled by it that she had not even shared all of her suspicions with Philip. However, even now that she was in great part reassured about Cole's non-involvement, she was still worried that he might see her actions against the tigers as some sort of irrational desire for revenge because of her father's disappearance. And that in spite of the fact that Cole's theory about the revolutionaries seemed the most likely.

There was another reason why Phoebe wasn't too keen on sharing about her search for the truth. It had to do with how Abner found himself on that hunt in the first place. Now that her suspicions about Cole were nearly put to rest, she didn't find it too hard to believe that he had not known about Abner's presence. In fact, if her father hadn't met his death during this adventure, his presence might not have become common knowledge at all. 

The cattle decimation caught the attention of a few of Abner's friends in the hunting community, but no one in the government was doing anything about it; just about in the same manner as they did very little about anything that pertained to their citizens. While Abner wasn't a humanitarian, he saw this as an opportunity for a good hunt with his best friend Rudger. Therefore, he had come in an unofficial capacity, without even a permit to hunt down the animal or animals responsible, offering his services directly to the villagers. The villagers themselves had been overjoyed to get such a great hunter as Abner to help them, and they promised to keep the hunt a secret. It was only when the hunters failed to return that the rumors started and many more people heard of it. Phoebe herself only found out after she began worrying about Abner's failure to show up at his house for weeks. 

In addition, it was only when Phoebe inquired further that she learned of the preserve and the tigers; and mostly that Cole was involved in some way. 

After finding out where Abner was last seen alive, unlike him, she decided to go through the official channels. However, she had to threaten to expose what she presumed was a conspiracy of silence about the mysterious disappearances of American citizens before they gave her permission to investigate. That also gained her a permit to hunt the tigers or whatever animal was responsible for the cattle decimation and the death of a poacher which had just come to light. Of course, Phoebe didn't insist too much on her father's reasons to be in Africa but rather on the fact that their country might get in trouble with the American government for the unexplained disappearances. Phoebe knew that the sudden willingness of the government to help the villagers was directly related to their desire to keep the incident with the Americans quiet and she used it for all it was worth. However, when she asked for help from the local authorities, that's where they drew the line, alleging that they had nothing to do with what happened to Abner and his party and wouldn't waste any of their manpower on this. They had also insisted that she would have all liberty to do as she pleased, as long as she remained as discreet as possible about her activities. They obviously worried about attracting too much attention to them from the American government and they wanted as small a part to it as possible. 

Phoebe found it was better this way because she could investigate without everyone knowing what she was up to or why. However, that was the reason why she was so dependent on the bearers' will. She still needed help to go on this expedition. So far, all she discovered was that the tigers were likely responsible for the poacher's death and that Cole was very unlikely to have even known about Abner's presence, let alone participated in any form of retaliation against her father. Other than that, she only had suspicions. 

They had only gone five kilometres before Phoebe stopped the Rover abruptly and went out without a word to her passengers. Cole was the first one to go out behind her, soon followed by Faraji. Philip, who was sweating profusely, found that he was too exhausted to move and he elected to remain in the car. He gulped a long sip of water from a flask before turning his attention to the others. Phoebe was moving quickly toward a thick formation of trees and she stopped in the middle of a clearing just short of the forest, while looking down intensely.

The grass had grown back in the clearing but it was obviously shorter than in the area. Phoebe suspected someone had prepared this location for a base camp and she was now looking for some confirmation. She soon found it as she noticed something shiny reflecting the sunlight. She identified the object as a gun entangled in the freshly grown grass. From the moment she picked it up, Phoebe knew something was wrong. The rifle belonged to Abner. She could still distinguish his initials on the butt. Even if the attack had taken place somewhere else, she couldn't believe that Abner would have left a perfectly good rifle behind. The other possibility, which was that the attack took place right there didn't explain the gun either. Even if it had been forgotten in the heat of the moment, the attackers surely would have come back to ransack the place and take whatever they could find. 

For his part, when Cole saw that Phoebe was studying this place so intensely, he decided to do his own research and walked away, hence not noticing the gun she found. However, what he stumbled to was so appalling that his heart sunk. Just at the edge of the tall grass lay a half-chewed bone; most likely a femoral bone. There was no doubt in his mind that this was human. Although in and of itself, it wouldn't have been extremely surprising or incriminating for that matter, the tooth he saw stuck in the bone left him very little doubt on what ate this human being.

Shook up by this discovery, Cole turned to call to Phoebe, but he found her standing just behind him. She was looking down at the bone in total bewilderment. "That can't be…" 

Cole frowned at this exclamation. He wasn't happy that things seemed to indicate what he had feared, but her disbelief didn't fit at all. "Wasn't that what you expected?"

"No…It's impossible…" Phoebe pursued in a wary tone of voice. 

"Phoebe," Cole insisted irritably, "you're the one who told me the tigers were killing people. How is it you seem more surprised than I am?"

"I never believed this party was killed by the tigers, Cole. No cats could have killed twelve armed men and gotten away."

"Twelve? Armed? How could you know that for sure? I thought you said it was just a rumor of missing people? Phoebe?" Phoebe didn't answer his questions but then Cole noticed the gun in her hands. It was dirty and obviously not one of hers since Phoebe always took great care of her weapons. Leaning forward, he read the initials with shock as he immediately made the connection. "Abner?" When Phoebe still didn't react, Cole became even more upset and he grabbed her arm firmly. "Phoebe? Was Abner here? What's going on? Answer me!"

Phoebe finally looked at him, but she seemed in shock. "It's impossible…" she simply repeated. 


	5. Second Sight Chapter 4

** _Chapter IV_**

**"P**hoebe?" Cole tried again, as she wouldn't say anything more.

"What kind of animals are these?" Phoebe uttered barely above a whisper. "How could they have done this?"

"Phoebe, could you please explain yourself," Cole asked again, this time with more than a little irritation in his voice. "And start with Abner…"

"Abner…they were hunting…He'd never…" Phoebe couldn't seem to get a handle on things. 

Out of patience, Cole let go of her arm and he grabbed the gun instead, waving it in front of her. "What was Abner doing here?"

Faraji interrupted this pointless questioning with an exclamation of surprise. "Another gun, Bi Mkubwa!"

Phoebe looked up with wide eyes. If the first gun had been unsettling, the fact that there were at least two seemed to tell a story, as unbelievable as it may have been. Without a word, she went toward Faraji, leaving Cole still holding Abner's gun. Suddenly, Cole felt as if the metal was literally burning through his skin and he put down the weapon near the bone before following Phoebe. 

The other gun was a less sophisticated weapon, most likely belonging to one of the natives. They soon found the remnants of what must have been a tent, but it was trashed almost beyond recognition. Phoebe bent toward what was left of it and saw that it had been slashed repeatedly, no doubt by a very sharp object, most likely claws, although the little that was left made it difficult to ascertain. 

Cole had given up on making Phoebe talk and instead, he continued searching around. True enough, it didn't take long before he found spent shell casings all over the place and three more rifles, all of them hidden under the grass, which was why they didn't see them at first. "They put up quite a fight…" he said without really expecting anyone to answer him. 

However, this time, Phoebe did. "Then, how can they all be gone?"

"I've heard of exceptional events like this. But then again, they went on over time, with people being picked off by lions one by one. This seems to have happened within a very short time…"

"But they were experienced hunters! I can't believe Abner would have been taken by surprise."

"Speaking of," Cole tried again, "what was he doing here, Phoebe? Was that the big secret? Why couldn't you tell me about your father?"

"You didn't need to know that, Cole. You weren't even supposed to be here at all."

"Well I'm here and as awful as it makes me feel, I admit that this looks really bad for the tigers. Unless an entire pride came this way and attacked this party, I don't think a single rogue lion could have wrought this much damage. In fact, I also find it hard to believe that the tigers I raised could have done this but…"

"There isn't any other explanation," Phoebe interrupted grimly. Despite the heat, she was having chills at the thought of what happened. She believed that she could take whatever she found and deal with it, but she realized that maybe she wasn't as strong as she thought. "He's really gone…" Phoebe added shakily, turning haunted eyes toward Cole. This one forgot momentarily about the rest of the drama as he felt a surge of sympathy for her.

"I'm sorry, Phoebe," Cole said, hesitantly pulling her to him. 

Phoebe resisted only mildly, but the overwhelming grief she felt sapped her strength and she was infinitely grateful to feel his arms around her. Deep down, she realized, she had been hoping against all hopes that Abner was still alive, somehow waiting for his little girl to come to the rescue. She'd fought this delusion all the way up to this moment of truth. 

"What's going on," Philip questioned tensely behind them. 

Phoebe pulled away from Cole, a vague guilt now mixing in with her grief. 

"It seems that this was Abner's base camp," Cole answered for the both of them, as Phoebe allowed Philip to wrap his arms around her. Seeing this, Cole was surprised to feel such a deep resentment toward Philip. For a moment, it had been as if nothing happened during those intervening five years; as if Phoebe was back with him, so natural it had felt to hold her like this. He had to fight his surging jealousy at seeing her in Philip's arms. Try as he may however, he couldn't prevent his swelling anger from seeping to the surface. "The big great hunter met his match…" he added, regretting it the moment he'd said it, but it was too late. Phoebe looked up with a hurt expression and Cole walked away, pretending to concentrate on the search.

Phoebe watched him intensely while another scenario began to build in her mind. One that was awful, but which seemed infinitely more probable than two tigers decimating an entire hunting party... Philip sensed her tenseness right away, but at this point, he was mostly worried about what he'd seen between his fiancée and the vet. He couldn't find it in himself to question Phoebe about it however. Instead, he started looking around, wondering what made them so certain of their facts. Interrupting Phoebe's sombre speculations, Philip asked, "If they were all killed…Shouldn't there be…something left?" 

Phoebe found it painful to answer her fiancée's question, but in a way, it helped her get a grip. She sighed deeply as she pulled away from him. "There wouldn't be much left, Philip. It's been over a month." 

In the distance, they heard the wailing of hyenas and Philip began to understand. "The other animals?"

Phoebe had to bite back the urge to cry at the thought, but she composed herself the way Abner would have expected her to. "Whatever was left of the bodies would have been eaten or scattered by scavengers…Nature at work," she added with a detachment that surprised Philip.

"That's your father you're talking about," Philip said with a hint of reproach.

"Abner knew the risks and he taught me to understand them as well. I'm sorry for having shown such weakness earlier."

"Nobody can blame you for grieving, Phoebe." Philip replied softly.

"Now is not the time." Phoebe answered firmly.

To illustrate this, Phoebe left his side and she went to continue the search for evidence with Cole and Faraji, leaving Philip unsettled about her attitude. He knew that Phoebe was a strong woman and that she didn't react in the same manner as most of those he'd known before. In fact, that's what attracted him to her in the first place. She was so different. She was a beautiful woman with the appearance of frailty, but with an inner strength that even he didn't have. Even so, he was ill-at-ease to see how quickly she set her grief aside. Philip knew he could never have done that himself. In fact, this was as emotional as she got since she heard of Abner's disappearance. At first, Philip thought it was because she had not seen the body and possibly didn't believe he was truly dead. In fact, there surely was some of that. However, seeing her sifting through the grass like some sort of detached forensic specialist made him utterly uncomfortable.

If he could have read Phoebe's mind, he would have known the depth of her grief and anger. Even as she busied herself picking up bits and pieces of material left behind by the hunting party, Phoebe's theory was taking form and an intense rage was also building inside of her. Every now and then, she glanced furtively toward Cole, wondering if it was possible. At long last, Cole picked up on this and he came back toward her with a frown. "Hey, if you've got something to tell me…"

"What? Are you gonna still gloat about how much smarter than Abner your cats are?"

"Phoebe," Cole exclaimed with all the accent of outrage he felt. 

However, by then Phoebe had painted a very different picture of him. She was almost tempted to throw the accusation in his face, but even in her agitated state of mind, she thought it better to keep her suspicions to herself. "You're the one who said Abner met his match…"

"I'm sorry about that…I guess I'm more upset than I thought," Cole apologized. "What," he asked again after a long moment where he felt as if Phoebe was trying to see through him. "Look I just said I was sorry. I'm even helping you…"

"Why?" Phoebe questioned curtly. "Why are you helping?"

"Look Phoebe, I may not be very happy about this, but contrary to what you believe, I'm not a fanatic. If the tigers did this…"Cole trailed as he looked at the growing pile of artefacts, "well…I can't object to you going after them…even more so considering who was here…"

For a moment, Phoebe thought that maybe he was sincere and that her suspicions were baseless, but another glance around told her again that this couldn't have been caused by tigers alone. There had to be more to this. "Well," she answered somewhat sarcastically, "I suppose that explains it all."

Cole rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Whatever," he spat. "We should expand the circle. I think we'll find more stuff lying around," he added.

"I agree," Phoebe simply acquiesced with a very serious expression before she headed for the tall grass. 

Cole watched her going with a growing malaise. He knew something was brewing in her head. However, he had enough of his own grief and he decided that whatever she was up to was probably related to her pain at losing Abner and he dismissed it. Then, Cole caught sight of Philip, walking aimlessly in the middle of the clearing. The man seemed so out of place that if Cole hadn't been so aggrieved he might have found it funny. In his present state of mind however, he had to stop himself from going up to Philip and somehow provoking him; as if it could somehow alleviate his pain to annoy Phoebe's fiancée. Against his best judgement, he almost did, but a glimmer in the grass just ahead of Philip caught his attention. Giving up on his petty intent, Cole headed for it and he found a tent peg still stuck in the ground. As he pulled it out, he saw something else beside it and he was shocked to recognize one of the tags he used to mark the animals in the preserve. 

Philip was observing him curiously but Cole chose to ignore him, simply walking away with his findings. He knew if he opened his mouth, he would again say something he might regret. What's more, at this point, he was more worried about what he would find on the tag. The small metallic object was too dirty for him to read the numbers. Cole brought it near the Rover, and, grabbing the flask of water, he poured a few drops on the tag and rubbed it until the inscription became legible. He expected this to be one of the tigers' tags, which were among the few identification numbers he knew by heart. However, what he read only deepened his grief. "Sinta…" he uttered painfully. The black leopard who'd run away was in fact Cole's pet since he found her half-dead, abandoned after poachers killed her mother. She was one of a litter of two, but the other cub was already dead when they found them and it took a lot of care to bring Sinta back to health. Then, when Cole tried to release her in the wild, the black panther elected to stick around the compound, always returning to it. This behaviour was unusual since leopards were loners but this one didn't seem to mind the company at all.

At last, Cole gave up on the idea of trying to release her. Sinta eventually became the preserve's mascot of sort. Her dark coloring was rare around these parts, which made her all the more special. The leopard wasn't caged or tied up. She was so acclimated to human presence that none of the people there feared her. She didn't even try to attack the animals under Cole's care. In short, Sinta was like a big kitten, only chasing small prey near the compound, or fishing when not eating the rations Cole served to her. Then, a little over a month ago, she ran away. At the time, Cole believed she would come back as she always did. He supposed that she was in rut and looking for a mate. Then, when she didn't come back, Cole started worrying about her. In spite of her skills at chasing small animals, she had never truly been acclimated to the wild and he wasn't certain that she could survive on her own. Now, he believed that his worst fears had come true. 

Clutching the tag in a tight fist, Cole felt another surge of anger swelling inside of him, this time directed at Abner. There was no doubt in his mind that Phoebe's father killed his beloved pet. Most other people would have felt differently about this. Cole vaguely recognized that, even more so considering that the man was dead. However, he had put most of his affection into this animal. Paul often said that Cole couldn't pretend he didn't want a long term relationship since he seemed to have one with this animal. His friend often teased him about it, wondering in jest if Cole planned to give her a ring. Although this was all a big joke on Paul's part, he did see that Cole was very attached to Sinta. He often commented to Cole about this, wondering if Cole hadn't transferred some of his feelings for his ex-wife toward the animal as some sort of displacement. Cole would always protest vehemently on how ridiculous that was, but deep inside, he believed it to be possible. At least, for a long time, Sinta stuck with him unlike Phoebe; and also unlike his ex-wife, she wasn't judging his beliefs and actions. At any rate, and for whatever reason, Cole loved this beast more than any other and showed her more respect and affection than any human he'd met since. 

A blind rage threatened to overwhelm him as he saw Phoebe coming back with more weapons she found in the grass. At that moment, she was staring his way curiously, most likely wondering what he was doing, but in his present state of mind, Cole didn't acknowledge her, nor did he notice the suspicion in her expression. Instead, he turned his back to her and pocketed the tag while throwing the tent peg in the back of the Rover, where most of the other items soon found their way. Then he went back to the search for evidence while Phoebe headed for the Rover in turn.

As she dropped the weapons in the Rover forlornly, Phoebe wondered anew about Cole. On her way there, she had also picked up Abner's rifle and as she stared at it, her suspicion grew exponentially. Who else but one who held guns in horror would have left them behind? Phoebe knew that Cole could barely stand those in his presence and she was even amazed he took Abner's gun from her earlier. Not surprisingly, he had dropped it as soon as he could.

Phoebe still couldn't accept that Abner might have fallen to a couple of tigers alone. It was inconceivable. However, the scenario she had in mind was even more outrageous. As she observed Cole, she couldn't fathom how the man she had loved so deeply might have gone this far…Up until a few minutes ago, she had dismissed her earlier suspicions, but now things added up badly. Cole seemed to have an uncanny way with animals. She had witnessed it herself. He had also raised those tigers until they were released into the wild. What's more, she didn't believe for a minute that the tigers could have killed all those men unless they were either unarmed or hurt prior to the attack. Was that what happened? And if so, what role, if any, did Cole have in it? If he was a part of this, how did he manage to hide his prior knowledge so well? And also, why was he so quick to change his mind about the tigers? "Is he planning another massacre", Phoebe thought with a chill. 

Philip's voice felt like snapping fingers as she had been lost in her conjectures. "Can I do something to help?" Philip noticed immediately that his question startled her. "Are you ok?"

"You're asking if I'm ok," Phoebe retorted angrily. "Look around you, Philip!"

"Phoebe…I was just…"

"I'm sorry…I'm just a little high strung. It's not your fault."

"Is it his," Philip questioned while turning his gaze toward Cole. 

Phoebe hesitated just a little too long before she answered. "It's just what we found. It's hard to accept."

"I thought you were certain about Abner…"

"It's harder than I thought," Phoebe admitted.

"I'll help you through this."

Philip smiled sadly at this. "I know…"

Soon, they had found ten rifles and a quantity of spent shell casings along with a variety of pieces from the camping gear, but other than the one bone Cole spotted, they hadn't found anything that would bear witness to the people who were there. That is until Cole went into the forest on his own and suddenly called to them with a slight tremor to his voice. Phoebe was the first one to reach him, soon followed by Faraji, while once again, Philip stayed behind, a little worried about what he would see there.

About twenty feet inside the woods, they found Cole standing at the edge of a slope that plunged abruptly ten feet down. At the bottom, all of them could now see a pile of dirty bones, including a few craniums. None of which had even a remnant of skin attached to them. It was obvious they were looking at what was left of the hunting party. Phoebe began looking nervously left and right, searching for a way down and she finally spotted what seemed like a softer slope hidden among the vegetation. Without a word, she went to it and started the descent. 

"Phoebe wait," Cole called to her. 

"I wanna see," Phoebe simply answered without looking back. 

Sighing, Cole signalled for Faraji to stay there while he followed Phoebe down. The soil at the bottom was spongy and some water seeped to the surface as they walked. Cole only watched uncertainly while Phoebe bent toward the bones. There was something wrong with this setting. As if the bodies were carried there to be hidden. Cats sometimes hid their prey against other predators; this Cole knew. However, tigers and lions had very little to fear from the other predators. Even if one supposed they had offspring and were bringing food to them, the terrain made it unlikely that they would have chosen this place to leave the cubs. As unbelievable as the idea was, Cole began to wonder if the animals had been trying to hide their attack. This was preposterous and he soon abandoned this line of thought but it left him with a disturbing sensation. 

Phoebe was just standing up at this moment. "We've got to take these with us," she said in a strangled voice.

"I agree that we have to take care of this eventually, but…"

"But what?" Phoebe questioned brusquely. 

"Maybe it's better to wait until we're done with…well what you're supposed to do. Then we can bring the truck here and transport these back to the compound."

Phoebe turned another strange look toward him. "Why wait?"

"Look Phoebe, it's up to you, but… they've been here for almost a month, haven't they? I think they'll keep a little longer. Besides…we've seen all there was to see."

"What is it that we're seeing Cole?" Phoebe asked again with the same strange tone of voice.

"What do you want me to say? I've already accepted the tigers are responsible. What more do you want from me, Phoebe? You want me to fall on my knees and apologize now? Should I slit my throat?"

Phoebe only shot him an angry glare before moving past him toward the trail. 

"So, what are you gonna do," Cole questioned a little more calmly.

"What you said," Phoebe answered curtly before heading up. 

Cole gazed once again at the bones while he wondered about Phoebe's attitude. In the end, he once more chalked it to her grief and followed her up without another comment.

Neither one of them answered Philip's questioning look when they came out of the woods and immediately headed for the Rover. It was Faraji who briefly described the findings to Philip and this one didn't ask for more precision as the simple idea nauseated him.

Once during the trip back, Phoebe suggested to her bearer that Cole might not be needed on the expedition but, to her obvious annoyance, Faraji immediately protested that this wouldn't go well with his men. Then, Faraji insisted that the rest of the bearers should be kept in the dark about their gruesome findings. This, Phoebe agreed with immediately. Those natives were wary enough without adding more reasons for them to fear the expedition. The necessity for discretion was made even more obvious when they rejoined with the group. Originally, they had started with fifteen men. One had already left without warning the previous evening, and now two more started back on foot when they figured that their leader's prolonged absence was a bad sign. They had already been gone for thirty minutes and when Faraji was tempted to go after them, Phoebe stopped him. "Better keep only those who are still somewhat motivated. We'll manage," she simply commented before grabbing her gun and her pack from the Rover and then heading toward a semblance of trail that led up the mountain. Faraji quickly reached and moved past her, leading the way as he was one of the most experienced in these parts. 

Cole and the others didn't wait long before grabbing their own gear and following them. Soon, they were walking into an ever thicker forest which somewhat slowed them down along with the steep inclination. They met a number of waterways, which were partly the reasons why Cole and Paul believed that the tigers could acclimate to this place. There was also the weather, which, unlike the rest of the country, was more temperate and even cool at night once you reached a certain level. As the vista changed, so did the wildlife.

Even in his wary state of mind, Cole marvelled at the incredible diversity in climates and animals that could be found on this continent. Presently, he was observing the bird life, which was numerous in these parts. A great variety of species were even native to this particular environment and the forest was alive with their respective calls. Cole found that this activity managed to bring him some peace of mind, at least temporarily. Ever since they left the base camp, he had been tempted more than once to tell Phoebe in no uncertain terms how he felt. However, he finally decided that whatever he told her would have no effect. After all, what would a hunter care about his grief for one of their prey? Therefore, he simply avoided talking to her at all, and from the look of her, it was just as well. The only time Phoebe deigned paying him any attention at all, she was staring at him as if she expected something bad from him, although Cole couldn't fathom what that was. Even if he was somewhat curious about it, he wasn't in the mood for another round with his ex-wife and he chose to ignore her behaviour for the time being. 

After a while however, Cole returned his attention to their party and he noticed that Philip was now ahead of Phoebe, trying to keep up with Faraji at the risk of becoming exhausted long before the day was over. The rest of the party was pacing themselves as they knew that there was no point in trying to race ahead. Cole was certain that Philip was trying to impress both Phoebe and him. He almost chuckled at the thought but just then, he saw the city man swerving off the trail in what seemed a movement of panic. Philip screamed a warning that Cole didn't understand before climbing up a large tree much faster than he even believed him capable of. Before long, Cole understood the cause of all this upset when a leopard leaped across the trail and started up the tree behind Philip. The cat had simply reacted like most predators would when seeing a running animal and saw Philip as a potential prey.

Phoebe was already shouldering her gun and Cole understood that if he wanted to prevent the worse, he had to act quickly. Dropping his pack, he opened it nervously and pulled the tranquilizer gun he brought along. In truth, Mwaka had come to him, insisting he arm himself and he had offered a normal handgun to Cole instead of the tranquilizer one. Cole had given Mwaka a dirty look when he understood that his assistant kept another weapon without his knowledge, but Mwaka simply told him that if Cole wasn't smart enough to protect himself, someone else had to do it. This all flashed in his mind as he quickly switched off the safety and aimed at the tree. However, before he had time to do anything more, Cole heard the gunshot and feared he was too late. Philip suddenly fell out of the tree and landed heavily in the middle of the trail with a loud grunt of pain. Cole gave him a quick glance, ascertaining that Philip was only mildly hurt, and then he took a few steps toward the tree itself. "Phoebe, what have you done?" He exclaimed loudly, worried that the cat might already be dead. However, just then, he saw the animal scampering off with deep relief.

"Happy," Phoebe shot back curtly before heading for her fiancée. She had noticed Cole's actions and there was no doubt in her mind that Cole was referring to the cat and not to Philip.

"Ecstatic," Cole replied with a grimace of exasperation. 

As soon as she reached Philip, Phoebe turned toward Cole again, calling to him imperatively. "You're a doctor…now is the time to show us how good you are."

"I treat animals," Cole protested even if he still walked toward them.

Philip was holding his left leg, which was evidently in an unnatural position. "God," he groaned plaintively. 

"Well, in my expert opinion," Cole said calmly, "you're not coming with us."

Philip looked up with obvious irritation mixing in with the pain. "Is it broken," he asked.

"Never more," Cole confirmed, as he bent toward him and palpated the leg lightly with his free hand. "But at least, you didn't end up as cat food," he added teasingly. Only then did he realize he was still holding the tranquilizer gun and he put it down beside him. As he did so, his gaze met Phoebe's, who seemed more surprised than angry at his quip. "What?" Cole questioned even as he glanced around for a proper splint.

"You've got a gun…"

"Yeah… So?" Without waiting for a reply, Cole turned toward the natives, who were staying back and observing them wearily. "Try to find two pieces of wood, each about one and a half feet long," Cole ordered firmly while demonstrating the length for them. "Make it solid but not too thick…and get me some rope." As soon as he was done talking, the natives scattered around while Faraji searched his pack for a rope.

"What are you gonna do," Philip asked nervously.

"The first thing we have to do is to set this leg and immobilize it. It isn't gonna take away the pain you feel now, but without it, moving would be excruciating…" Cole knew he was being petty, but inwardly he couldn't help finding a vague satisfaction at the man's misfortune. The wound wasn't life threatening, but he would still have to go back and Cole wouldn't have to deal with him much longer. He had enough on his mind at the present time. Besides, Philip was obviously not cut out for this kind of activity and in Cole's opinion, should never have come along.

Meanwhile Phoebe was holding Philip's shoulders up, but at the same time she didn't seem to pay him much attention. Instead, she inquired anew about the gun. "I didn't think you had a gun…"

"I don't like them, but I'm not stupid either Phoebe. Besides, it's only loaded with tranquilizers. By the way, thanks for not shooting the leopard," Cole added in a softer tone of voice.

"I missed," Phoebe answered edgily.

"Figures," Cole reacted, already regretting the fleeting moment of gratitude. He went back to his pack and pulled a syringe and a vial before returning by Philip's side. As he began drawing the medication from the vial, Phoebe had another strangely suspicious question for him. "What's that for? Are you trying to give him some veterinary drug?"

"Hardly enough, Phoebe, I also thought of the humans on this expedition. Surprising isn't it? Now, if Philip is ok with me setting his leg without morphine, we can skip the injection. Of course, it's gonna hurt like hell, but…" Cole smiled mischievously toward Philip as he pursued, "I guess if you're tough enough…"

Philip opened wide eyes at this, wondering if the treatment wouldn't be worse than the injury, as painful as it was.

"So," Cole questioned while waving the syringe in front of them, "What's it gonna be?"

Phoebe still examined the vial before answering and Cole felt that something was really up with her. He promised himself that he would get to the bottom of this as soon as possible, although not before he took care of his patient. Meanwhile, in spite of his troubling thoughts, he still presented a relaxed and even amused expression to the both of them.

"Go ahead," Phoebe grumbled. 

"At your service," Cole clowned as he lifted Philip's sleeve and quickly injected the solution. "Well, now, relax and hopefully, it won't hurt too much…" 

Philip cast a dirty look his way, but he soon seemed to relax considerably. Then when the natives brought what he asked for, Cole positioned himself to set the leg, earning himself another unhappy gaze from Philip. "Come on, take it like a man. You don't want your girl to see you cry like a baby, do you," Cole started chatting casually. From the corner of his eye, he saw Phoebe making a face, but he ignored it. "You know, I'm sure you're not such a bad bloke after all," he pursued for Philip instead. "Maybe under better circumstances we could have shot some pool, downed a few beers. If you're still around in a few days, we might even try to chat over drinks and you'll tell me all I never needed to know about my ex-wife." All the while, Cole was pulling slowly on the leg and when he actually set the fracture, it was done within a second. Although it was still very painful and Philip couldn't keep in a loud grunt, he had to admit that Cole managed to distract him from the anticipation. "Ok the worse is behind you," Cole soothed while he tied the wood splints against the leg. That's when he saw that one of them appeared to have a charred portion to it.

Phoebe had been getting upset at Cole's sarcasm. In fact, she knew it was directed at her a lot more than at Philip. However, when she noticed Cole's curious stare, she set her anger aside and bent toward the stick. "This could have been a torch…" She turned to the closest native. "Was there something on this stick?"

The native nodded emphatically and turned his heels immediately. Within a few seconds, he returned with a blackened material. "Where did you find this?" Phoebe asked somewhat tensely. It wasn't that much of a find, considering that many natives and even tourists might have come this way. They had only been hiking for about three hours before the accident occurred. Yet, after what they had witnessed at the base camp, and given their relative proximity to the tigers, this could be of some significance. The native indicated a spot in the middle of the trail just about fifteen feet ahead of their present position.

"What do you make of this," Cole questioned when she said nothing after a long moment.

Phoebe gazed at him with this strange expression that was beginning to make him feel extremely uncomfortable. "So?" Cole insisted.

"I'm not sure…but we're gonna need to prepare some sort of stretcher to transport Philip back down. Maybe a few of the men could get busy on that while we look around…just in case," Phoebe added darkly.

"I'm not going anywhere," Philip tried when he understood Phoebe's intentions.

"Philip…we can't bring you along. This splint is only an emergency measure. You'll need a cast. Won't he," Phoebe asked Cole directly.

"That's for sure. Without proper care, you might end up with a limp for the rest of your life. Not very attractive…" Cole couldn't help adding. 

Phoebe shot him another angry glare, but she soon returned her attention to her fiancée. "It's gonna be ok, Philip. All that matters is that you get proper care. Don't worry about me."

Philip glanced from Phoebe to Cole a few times uncertainly. "I guess…" Deep down, he wasn't all that worried about the danger, although it was a factor. What really worried him was the mounting tension he felt between Phoebe and Cole. He had no clue as to what provoked it, but Philip began wondering if these weren't old feelings resurfacing. The idea of leaving them now was not reassuring in the least. However, another wave of pain reminded him that he really didn't have much of a choice. 

Faraji brought a blanket at this point and they moved Philip on it. This simple move caused him increased pain and Philip wasn't looking forward to being carried down the mountain. 

"Cole, why don't you and Faraji stay with Philip while I go survey the surroundings?" Phoebe suggested, although to Cole it sounded more like an order.

"I've got a better idea. Your fiancée needs tender loving care more than a doctor right now. Why don't you stay here and let me have a little walk in the woods. Holler if you need anything," he added before walking away without waiting for her approval. 

For a second, Phoebe was tempted to call him back but Philip grabbed her hand in his. "Let him go. I really prefer your company to his right now."

Phoebe turned to Philip after a long moment of hesitation. "I guess you're right. I'm sorry about all of this, Philip. But really, you should've stayed behind. It's too dangerous out here," she added, again remembering the horrible images from the base camp. 

"I wanted to come. And even if it's been rather painful, I'm still glad I did, Phoebe."

Phoebe couldn't see it this way, but she still humoured him with a smile even as she was wondering what Cole was up to. 

"Maybe we should all go down, Phoebe," Philip tried after a few minutes of silence. 

"You can't be serious," Phoebe exclaimed. "After what we've seen, you'd want to risk those animals killing again?"

"I'm just saying, maybe this needs more manpower and it started on such a bad note already…"

"I've told you. Everything will be fine. I'll take care of those monstrous beasts and then we can start our life together as we planned."

"Are you sure that this doesn't…"

"No it doesn't Philip. I've made up my mind over a year ago and I'm not about to change it. This is a one time deal…"

"I just hope it isn't gonna be the wrong one…"

"I'll be very careful, I promise. Now try to get some rest. It isn't gonna be easy for you either…"

This, Philip had no doubt about and in spite of his growing malaise, he still managed to doze off soon after, helped along by the strong drug Cole injected him. 

Less than thirty minutes later, the stretcher was ready and most of the bearers had come back empty handed from the summary search. However, Cole had yet to return and Phoebe started wondering seriously about him. Philip was still resting so she left Faraji by his side while she and another of the natives headed the same way Cole went earlier. After ten minutes of walking, they came upon a ravine. A river ran noisily at the bottom but the depth didn't appear to be much more than two or three feet as they could see boulders and even a few trees breaking the surface. The black man who accompanied Phoebe indicated tracks running parallel to the edge of the ravine and they followed them for another five minutes before coming up to a bridge made up of ropes and planks. The tracks ended there and Phoebe peered at the other side but she still couldn't find any trace of Cole. For a moment, she felt panic invading her as she called loudly to him several times. At this point, Phoebe was torn between her fear that something happened to Cole and the suspicion that he might be preparing some kind of attack against them. When he still didn't show up, Phoebe put her rifle back in the holster she carried on her back and she began crossing the bridge while signalling to her companion to stay behind. On the way she called to Cole again, and this one suddenly emerged from the forest that lined the other side of the ravine. He seemed utterly unconcerned and Phoebe became irrationally mad at him for what she considered his careless and brazened action. "What in the hell are you doing there? Why didn't you answer me before? Don't you know how dangerous this place is?" 

A cocky smile spread over Cole's lips at this. "First off, I couldn't hear anything," Cole offered while indicating the agitated river below. And secondly, I didn't know you cared that much Phoebe…"

"Don't hold your breath. We still need you on this expedition and besides, as long as I lead it, you're supposed to follow my rules." Meanwhile, Phoebe took a few more steps in his direction and although she noticed the creaking sounds the bridge made, she didn't pay it too much attention.

"Well maybe you weren't clear enough on those rules, honey…" Cole clowned, also unaware of the danger…

"Don't honey me," Phoebe shot irritably. "Come back here!" She ordered. Phoebe was almost three quarters of the way across when she decided to turn around. As she did so, one of the ropes gave way and she found herself precariously hanging to the damaged bridge.

"Phoebe!" Cole called fearfully as he ran toward his side of the bridge. The native echoed from the other side, "Bi Mkubwa!"

Phoebe didn't answer either one of them and instead, she tried to take another step forward. As soon as she did so, another rope began to loosen. Phoebe looked down nervously while her heart started racing. Underneath her, sharp rocks peaked out of the water and the current seemed particular strong in this place. The rocks created a multitude of whirlpools which made the water foamy.

"Phoebe, come this way," Cole ordered imperatively. 

"You can't order me around," Phoebe challenged even if she knew she was being ridiculous. 

"Now is not the time for your stupid pride, Phoebe. Come on," Cole called with obvious tension to his voice. 

Phoebe was tempted to protest again, but right then, another rope gave and the walkway fell to one side. Phoebe barely managed to hang on by her hands to the only rope still intact. 

"Phoebe!" Cole exclaimed anew, not knowing what more to do since he couldn't even reach her without making things worse. "Phoebe, don't let go…" Cole pleaded anxiously.

"I'll go get help," The native called nervously from the other side before he hurried back toward the rest of the party. Meanwhile, Phoebe was finally trying to move toward the closest side of the ravine and Cole, but her arms felt like jelly as she did so.

"Come on, Phoebe," Cole encouraged her when he saw her arms shaking from the effort, "you can do it. You're not a quitter!"

Phoebe almost managed to get close enough to grab Cole's extended hand, but then the last rope gave with a snapping sound.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
_**Addendum: Leopard, or Black Panther:**_

Swahili Name:Chui  
Scientific Name:Panthera pardus  
Size:About 28 inches at the shoulder  
Weight:Up to 140 pounds  
Lifespan:21 years in captivity  
Habitat:Bush and riverine forests  
Diet:Carnivorous  
Gestation:Approximately 2 1/2 months  
Predators:Humans

Some leopards have dark rosettes on a black background, making them appear black; these leopards are called black panthers. Cubs are gray when they are born.   
Diet: These large cats are carnivores (meat-eaters). They hunt a wide range of mammals, reptiles, birds, crabs, and fish. They hunt mostly at night; they are nocturnal.   
Leopards are fast runners, good swimmers and excellent tree climbers. They often hide their food in trees. The leopard's call sounds like a raspy cough, not a roar. Leopards live up to 21 years in captivity and they adapt to it easily. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  



	6. Second Sight Chapter 5

** Chapter V**

"**C**ole," Phoebe screamed desperately while falling toward the rock cliff. As she hit the wall, the shock took her breath away and she started slipping down the rope, burning her hands in the process. She dropped several feet before getting a better grip and stopping her fall. Under the shock, the sat phone she carried in her vest pocket got knocked off toward the furious water underneath but she could care less at the moment. She knew she couldn't hold on for very much long. 

Frantically, Phoebe looked around for anything that could provide a foothold but she could find none. Then, as desperation took a hold of her, she realized that she was moving again and she glanced up wearily. She saw nothing but the rock and the blue sky above as she ascended steadily, if only inch by inch. Once again, she was torn by contradicting feelings as she knew her life now rested in Cole's hands. She didn't really believe he would let her fall; yet there was the remote possibility that he was toying with her and it only added to her tension. When he had managed to haul her up to just a few feet short from the top, she heard him calling to her over the deafening roar coming from the river below.

"Baby, hang on. You're almost there. Phoebe, answer me!"

Phoebe tried to answer, but she couldn't make a sound above a whisper. In addition, her arms hurt so bad that she was certain they would fail her at any moment.

As if Cole sensed this, he shouted, "Phoebe, if you let go, I'll never forgive you, you hear me." 

All the while, she was getting closer to the edge. When she finally was almost in reach however, she slipped a whole foot down before tightening her grip on the rope again. "Cole, I'm gonna fall," she managed a little louder, galvanized by her fear. 

"Hold on…" He said tensely and then nothing happened for what seemed an eternity to Phoebe. The rope was getting tugged upon and she again feared that it wouldn't hold her. Then, Cole's head appeared over the edge and he extended a helping hand toward her.

"Grab my hand, Phoebe. Come on," he ordered imperatively when she hesitated. 

"I can't…" Phoebe uttered with a hint of panic.

"Now who's bailing out on whom," Cole replied angrily. "Grab my hand," he shouted at her while bending over the edge as far as he could reach.

Shakily, Phoebe's hand slid up the rope and then she grabbed his with all the strength she could muster. As soon as Cole had a hold of her, he pulled her toward him all at once with a strength born out of fear and Phoebe finally found herself on flat terrain, out of breath and with tears in her eyes. Before she could say or do anything else, Cole wrapped his arms around her as if he feared she might fall back.

"God, Phoebe, don't ever scare me like that again." He managed in a raspy voice, while obviously trying to catch his breath as well. 

In that instant, all of Phoebe's doubts flew away as she huddled even closer to Cole while holding on to him, as if she too feared that she might still fall. "I was so scared…" she whispered against his chest.

Cole gently took her face and pulled it up to his. "If you had died…" he trailed while his lips brushed softly on her forehead. Then he slowly moved toward her cheek, and there he tasted the tears she couldn't keep in. When Phoebe made no move to pull away from him, he brushed her lips with his, not knowing if it was desire, which motivated him, or simply the need to know that she wasn't gone. To his surprise, Phoebe parted her lips willingly, as if she'd been waiting for this. However, just then they heard shouting from the other side of the ravine and Phoebe sat back nervously.

"Bi Mkubwa," Faraji was calling again. "Are you alright?" 

Phoebe's sudden remorse came from the thought of Philip and his own ordeal as she saw a number of her men staring at them from the other side. "I'm ok but where's Philip? He's not alone is he?"

Cole stood up quickly, feeling irrationally betrayed by this. 

"Don't worry, Bi. I've left three men with him. How are you gonna get back," Faraji added as he looked down at the now bridgeless ravine.

Phoebe looked around as if she believed there was a way that would present itself. 

"We can't," Cole answered for her. "But there's a crossing a little higher in the mountain. You're gonna have to go up on your own and we'll rejoin with you in the morning. Just follow the gorge." 

"What about Philip," Phoebe questioned as she looked up and saw Cole making a face that did nothing to alleviate her discomfort.

"We do as you planned. Send three men back down with him and the rest will meet with us later," Cole answered almost frigidly.

"Right," Phoebe concurred uncertainly. At great effort, she managed to set her malaise aside as she stood up and called to her men. She told them what she wanted them to do, which happened to be exactly what Cole suggested. However, if her compliance with his suggestion pleased him, he didn't show it in the least. Instead, Cole turned his back to her and he headed for the woods without another look at her. As soon as the natives turned around and left, Cole called to her from the edge of the forest. "We should go too," he announced coldly. "We still have a way to go before nightfall."

Phoebe was tempted to protest on principle, but instead, she followed him inside the woods without a word. Neither one of them noticed a movement behind one of the largest trees as they threaded on.

~~~~~~~~

It was almost nightfall at the compound and Kathy was glad this hyena was to be her last patient of the day. She approached the cage cautiously, holding a syringe filled with tranquilizer, while Mwaka prepared to open the cage for her. 

"Are you sure you wanna do that?" Paul questioned behind them, surprising Kathy.

"Do what?" She asked even though she knew what he was referring to. The idea of entering the cage made her nervous. These were not the kind of animals she used to care for. Every single one of those exotic breeds was new and scary to her. What's more, to her, the hyena had to be the worse. She'd been delaying the inevitable for the past two hours.

"I know that Cole doesn't seem to fear those at all, but you don't have to pretend it doesn't scare you. I remember that during his first few months, he wasn't so confident."

"Really? He seemed so at ease with this gorilla…"

"The same with most of these guys... But as I said, it wasn't always the case. You could still use the tranquilizer gun you know…"

"The Mganga (Doctor) took the handgun along." 

"Well, I'll make sure you'll get a few more of those handguns in the morning…It's not reasonable to be unarmed even on this preserve."

"If we listened to the boss, we wouldn't have a single one." Mwaka added reproachfully.

"I'll have a talk with Cole when he comes back. There are limits to this bravado." Paul assured him. "Meanwhile, let me give you a hand. I'm sure we can handle this one without too much problem." Paul approached the cage and noted the name of the animal with a smile. "Zuhri? If my Swahili is not too rusty, doesn't that mean something like beautiful?" Paul questioned while giving a meaningful head nod toward the animal.

Mwaka answered with a smile of his own. "Pretty close. It means good looking… Bwana Turner insists all animals should have a name here."

"I'm guessing he chose that one. It would be just like him," Paul giggled. In his mind, hyenas were just about the ugliest mammals on the face of this earth. At least among those he'd seen so far. When his giggling subsided, he headed for the cage door and waited for Mwaka to open it carefully. They were gonna go in at the same time and corner Zuhri before immobilizing her for Kathy. Neither one of them feared that she would escape, but there was a potential risk that she might bite or claw at them, hence the need for caution.

However, the beast had other ideas. Paul barely had time to get out of the way as the animal came rushing out the door as soon as it was opened. Neither he nor Mwaka could stop her as she ran toward the tall grass. "What the hell!" Paul exclaimed when he saw the thick bandage around her midsection. This animal should have been subdued; not this excited. Mwaka called to his men as he headed toward them. Before long he was back with them carrying a thick net, along with a few sticks. 

Meanwhile, Kathy almost had a panic attack and her shame mixed in uncomfortably with her fear when Paul wrapped his arms around her reassuringly. "I don't think I'm cut out for this," she uttered shakily. "I thought it would be fun but…"

"If you'd like," Mwaka offered seeing how upset Kathy was, "I could take care of this for you. Just give me the syringe…"

Kathy only realized then that she had been expected to go along. Although she was grateful for Mwaka's offer however, she also wondered if it was right to let him use the medication on his own.

Paul saw her hesitation and he reassured her immediately. "It's perfectly alright Kathy. Cole trained Mwaka very well, and he even had experience from a few other veterinary jobs before; haven't you Mwaka?"

"For sure, Bwana. I'll be careful and you really don't have to come. But now, we must hurry…" 

Kathy handed him the syringe after recapping it cautiously. "Thank you," she said with a shaky voice. 

As soon as Mwaka and his men had left, Paul turned to her with a soft comforting smile. "Let's go inside the house. I'll make some tea for you while they catch up with the hyena. And don't beat yourself up so much. Wild animals are dangerous. Cole is about the only vet I know who doesn't fear them. Or at least, who says he doesn't. I'm sure that he couldn't cut it if he didn't respect the danger they represent."

Kathy nodded in the affirmative although she still seemed uncertain. By the time Paul served the tea in the sunroom, the natives had not returned yet. Paul gave the grass a curious look but he figured the hyena might have gone further than they expected. After all, they never thought she'd have the strength to bolt in the first place. 

"Thank you," Kathy said gratefully as she took the cup Paul was offering her. "Is it always like this around here?"

"Not really," Paul answered with a sweet smile after he dismissed his concerns about the natives. "That's the most activity I saw around here since Sinta decided to redecorate the house, leopard style."

"Cole was keeping a leopard in this house?"

"Fairly often, yeah. If she hadn't run away a month ago, you'd have seen her. Pretty cat too…She was part of this little family as much as Mwaka or his men. Sometimes, I even think that Cole preferred her company to that of people. He's a loon…" Paul criticized affectionately.

"Wow, I couldn't have imagined. Although last night was strange …"

"How's that?"

"Well, you know how I went to check up on him before all this agitation?"

"Yeah, I remember," Paul said guardedly. He didn't want her to know he was still a little miffed about that, but hiding his feelings wasn't his forte.

"Anyway, when I got inside the clinic, he was talking to this gorilla as if she could answer."

A wide smile spread over Paul's lips. "That's Cole alright. He can't talk to anyone seriously, but he'll tell just about anything, even the most intimate details, to the first animal he'll meet. Once, I heard him talking to a pig about his divorce."

"A pig?"

"Well, a clean pig…" Paul added teasingly. "Seriously though, that's about the only way I knew how hard it had been for him. Other than that, he was clowning about it as if he could care less. Not a pretty picture. Most people think he can't express emotions unless they heard him talking to the animals."

"That's really strange…"

"Well, maybe not that much…I think he's afraid to expose himself to other people. The animals don't judge or say hurtful things. They just listen."

"Ok, I must admit I caught myself confiding in a cat or a dog once in a while..."

"That would be a little like this except that Cole simply can't do it at all with people. It's no wonder their marriage didn't last. He just couldn't face those problems."

Kathy hesitated a second before asking her next question. "Huh…do you think he's still in love with her?"

"What makes you think that?"

"That talk with Celia I told you about…it was mostly about how he thought that Phoebe and this Philip had no chance together…"

"I don't know for sure…" Paul hesitated. "However, I know she's the only woman he's ever wanted to commit to so far. When at his worst, he used to say that he'd never allow another woman to snare him the way she did. Lately, meaning the past two years or so, it looked as if he had gotten over her…Maybe those feelings were more persistent than I thought."

"It took him three years?"

"Right…no one would have known that unless they were very close to him. Most of his casual acquaintances believed he had gotten over her the very next day; if not before. Appearances are deceiving." A silence fell between them and Paul thought that maybe now was the time to test the water. "Was there a reason for all those questions about Cole?" 

"Really I was just being curious. Plus those two seem like such a mismatch…Why," Kathy suddenly added, apparently seeing that Paul might have had an ulterior motive.

"Well, you know…Cole's not the only guy around and besides, he's obviously got some unresolved issues…"

"My thoughts exactly," Kathy replied with a smile.

Paul inched forward at that point. "Might we have suffered from some miscommunication here?"

"You're direct in a strange way, aren't you," Kathy offered as her smile widened noticeably.

"So…"

"I just figured that given your status…"

"Oh please, you're not telling me you were intimidated by my money? If that's the case, I'll give it away…" Paul told her lightly.

Kathy giggled at this. "If I tell you not to, are you gonna think I'm after you for your money?"

"Am I to understand you're after me?"

"You really are quick…"

"Maybe not as much as you might think, but I'll take the compliment anyway," Paul quipped as he moved close enough to touch Kathy. "So how long was that little game of yours supposed to last," Paul whispered against her offered lips. However, before she could answer, clamors in Swahili were heard coming from the direction Mwaka and his men took earlier. "Damn," Paul swore under his breath, before leaving Kathy's side and going out of the house.

At first, he was surprised to see Mwaka carrying the inert hyena on his own. As he wondered where the other men were, he saw them coming out of the tall grass holding an atrociously mutilated body. All he could tell for sure was that it was a native. Bile burned his throat as he fought the urge to throw up. Behind him, Kathy was coming out of the house as well, but he stopped her with an imperative hand gesture. 

"What's going on," Kathy asked apprehensively. 

"I don't think this one needs you," Paul answered hoarsely. "The hyena will keep a little longer. Stay inside; I'll take care of this." 

Kathy didn't protest as she was becoming overwhelmed by the accumulation of unpleasant events. 

Paul reluctantly headed for the center of the courtyard where the men disposed of their burden with obvious relief. Then they all turned to him as if he could make this go away somehow. The deceased had deep slashes across his belly and even his face, which made him unrecognizable even if Paul had known who he was prior to this day. However, he remembered that Faraji, Phoebe's bearer, had been inquiring about a missing man. Although he couldn't be certain, it seemed a likely explanation. As if the sight wasn't enough, Paul also got a chill at the implication as he surveyed the area with his eyes. Was what killed this man still out there waiting to pick them off one by one? 

"Bwana…" Mwaka asked after he returned from putting the hyena back in her cage. "I… We found this one about a kilometre from here. That's where Zuhri was heading," he explained, referring to the hyena. "She probably smelled the remains and was itching to get a taste of him." 

Paul thought this description was rather crude and he swallowed hard upon hearing it, but at the same time, it was accurate. However, whatever Zuhri had done wasn't his main concern. "What do you think did it, Mwaka?"

The native bent toward the body reluctantly while the others kept a safe distance as if they now feared that those injuries might be somehow contagious. 

"It looks like the work of a big cat but…"

"But what?"

"This man…it doesn't look as if he was killed for feeding. That looks like a rage killing…"

"Doesn't that sometimes happen with tigers and lions?"

"I've never seen anything like this, Bwana. Lions and other cats may be vicious sometimes, but unlike men, they kill to eat."

Paul forced himself to give a second look at the body and he again had to admit that this made sense, even if nothing else did… "Then what is it?"

"Your guess is as good as mine, Bwana…" Mwaka came closer; making sure his men wouldn't hear what he had to say next. "But Bwana…whatever it is, it scares me."

Paul stared intensely at the assistant, remembering the events of the past evening vividly at this point. "This scares me too, Mwaka. However, there is one silver lining to this. If the hunting party finds the tigers up there, it's doubtful they had anything to do with this killing. That could also mean that Cole was right and they had nothing to do with the other incidents. I think I should try to call them."

"What do we do about the body?" Mwaka asked louder. Paul also understood that Mwaka was wondering about how much danger they were in themselves.

"I'll call the town's police right after I reached Ms Halliwell on the sat phone. I think we might just need their assistance…Do you have any weapon at all?"

"I've got a revolver and I know where I can get a few guns and more men here within an hour."

"Get to it…"

Paul hurried back inside while Mwaka headed for his own small house and returned shortly after, holding the revolver. He gave it to one of his men and ordered them to stand guard before he headed for the preserve's jeep.

~~~~~~~~

Cole and Phoebe had been hiking in silence for almost three hours when Cole stopped abruptly in the middle of a clearing. Nearby, they could hear the muffled sound of a waterfall along with a few birds' calls but other than that, they were truly alone. She felt a breeze coming that was a relief from the heat, which had been made even more intense by their sustained exercise. More than once during their hike, she had been tempted to ask Cole to stop. However, he seemed driven forward and, in truth, Phoebe wasn't ready to deal with him just yet. Now that they had stopped, her relief was mitigated by the fact that Cole might want to address their earlier interlude. Then again, it wouldn't have been the first time he avoided talking about any sort of unpleasantness. Sometimes, like now, Phoebe preferred it this way. Nonetheless, she also knew that this was in part responsible for the problems they used to have as a married couple. Either they argued like cats and dogs, or he would leave and only returned hours later as if nothing happened.

In this instance, Cole turned a somewhat less miffed glance toward her, announcing that they should spend the night here and that he was going to find some dry wood for the fire. Obviously, he wasn't in an argumentative mood and that suited Phoebe fine. He was almost to the trees when he stopped again and looked back with mild annoyance. "Not that I care all that much, but maybe you should've called ahead about Philip…" Then without waiting for an answer, Cole entered the forest. 

Phoebe didn't like that she had needed him to remind her of Philip. Moreover, the fact that he thought of it seemed to indicate that her fiancée and her had been on Cole's mind. Phoebe didn't know what she should make of it and it only added to her discomfort. This, and the fact that she should have thought of calling but didn't. She was already reaching for the phone when she suddenly remembered that she lost it during the incident at the ravine. The sat phone was only a precaution and a recent addition at that. However, she had believed it would be enough and didn't even bring a radio along. The natives didn't carry anything of the sort either which meant that they would be isolated from the outside world until they returned to the compound. Her next thought went to Abner, who no doubt would have chastised her for her carelessness. That phone should have been in the light pack she always carried on her back; she knew that. Even as she thought about this, she took the pack and the holster off, sitting down with a deep sigh in the relatively refreshing grass of the clearing. 

Phoebe then decided that there was no point in panicking about it. They weren't so far from civilization and Philip would no doubt be safely back at the compound very soon as the descent should have been a little quicker than the hike up in spite of him being in a stretcher. There was still the concern about the beasts, but this was a constant worry and she couldn't do much about it. Phoebe could only hope that nothing bad happened. 

Putting these concerns to rest for the time being, Phoebe tried to relax and let go for a few precious moments. However, as soon as she allowed her mind to drift, her thoughts returned to Cole as she reflected that he might not be too thrilled by the loss of the sat phone. As she imagined his reaction, it wasn't long before she also returned to that moment near the cliff in her mind. What had she been thinking? It had to have been the emotion of the moment and her temporary certainty that Cole couldn't have been a party to Abner's death. Surely, the relief had rendered her vulnerable to Cole. Even now, her suspicions weren't as strong as they were before, although they came back to her more than once during the past three hours. Despite being convinced that her earlier weakness had only been a one time deal, Phoebe realized that Cole had been on her mind a lot since then. So much so that she had forgotten about Philip until Cole mentioned him. A cracking branch brought her back to the reality of the clearing and she realized with surprise that she had been debating with herself like this for over fifteen minutes. She dismissed the sound as being caused by some animal, but since Cole was nowhere in sight, she began to worry about him instead. 

In the nearby forest, a shadow moved between the trees and stopped behind one near the clearing. A flash of white fur became visible but disappeared quickly behind the tree as Phoebe stood up and picked up her rifle. She then headed in the opposite direction without noticing that she was being observed and she entered the forest in the same spot Cole did earlier. As she progressed, the sounds coming from the waterfall became increasingly louder until she emerged from the woods into another clearing giving on a small lake at the foot of a cascade. The lake was surrounded by luxurious vegetation and an almost translucent mist rose from the water and bathed the entire area, giving it an eerie atmosphere. However, the vista wasn't what struck Phoebe. She slowly put the gun down in the grass while staring fixedly at her ex-husband, who was showering, apparently oblivious to her presence. All at once, Phoebe remembered how she always enjoyed watching him when they were married, to the point where Cole teased her, calling her a voyeur. However, she also knew that he took great pleasure in it as well. 

What's more, she recalled with a delightful chill that he wasn't a stranger to voyeurism himself. How many times had he lain on their bed, as naked as he was now, getting aroused only by looking at her undressing slowly for him? Phoebe remembered vividly how his deep blue eyes could be caressing and then suddenly filled with desire, awakening her own lust without a single touch. Even his voice as he would describe what he wanted to do to her was a burning caress. She brought her hand towards her breasts without even thinking, and then began caressing them in an attempt at relieving her mounting tension even as she noticed that Cole looked bigger than she remembered. No doubt life in Africa had helped shaping him up and it only made him more desirable in her eyes as she barely could contain the urge to go to him. Phoebe vaguely realized that this made no sense and most of all, shouldn't be happening, but that didn't keep the desire from soon invading her every thought. Even as she watched, Cole turned to face her slowly and she held her breath, knowing that she should run away, but unable to do so. 

At first, Cole's eyes were closed and she believed that he had not noticed her presence until she saw his obvious arousal. Phoebe's heart raced as she was torn between the embarrassment of having been caught and the shameful satisfaction of knowing she was the reason for his excitement. 

"Well, don't just stand there, Phoebe," he called to her as he opened his eyes. "I see that not everything changed about you," he added while a cocky smile formed on his lips.

"I…" Phoebe swallowed hard, still staring at him. If anything, her embarrassment only heightened her own desire. "I was wondering what you were doing…" she managed shakily.

"That's why you've been staring at me for a good five minutes? Not that I'm complaining…"

"I haven't…" Phoebe stopped abruptly, knowing she had lost track of time again and she couldn't deny being there this long since he seemed to have noticed her presence right away. 

"Come on, baby. The water is great…" Cole cooed.

"I don't…" Phoebe's breath quickened as he took a few steps toward her and again, she made no move to turn back.

"You don't what, Phoebe?" 

Cole was now staring at her bosoms and she realized with renewed embarrassment that she was still caressing her breasts. Nervously, she stopped the caresses and her arms dropped to her sides quickly. 

"Don't stop…you look so good when you're lusty…"

With great effort, Phoebe regained a modicum of control over herself. "That's just like you, Cole. I'm engaged… I…"

"Does that keep your heart from beating? Or the blood from racing through your veins…?" 

Cole took another few steps towards her and Phoebe believed that her legs would give as she began trembling with anticipation. "Stay away," she uttered in a small voice. 

Cole stopped but he went on talking as if she hadn't said anything. "Does that keep your skin from the burning need to be touched and stroked?"

"Stop that, please. I can't…"

"All you have to do is turn around, Phoebe. I'm not holding you here," Cole replied as he started toward her again. He was now so close that he towered over her and drops of water fell on her face. Far from refreshing, they felt like droplets of fire on her skin. "Aren't you gonna run," Cole whispered as he bent toward her cheek and began depositing light kisses on them, moving slowly but surely toward her trembling lips. 

"I can't…" Phoebe tried again pleadingly. "We can't…"

"Of course we can, Phoebe. It means nothing…we always had great sex; even when we were mad at each other."

This finally got Phoebe to react as she pushed him away rudely. "You'd do this? You think I can just have sex without…"

"Oh please, Phoebe. Don't be a prude now. It's written all over your face that you want to. But we both know that's where it has to stop. Sex is fine, but we just can't live together."

"Why do you always have to be such an asshole?"

"I seem to remember you liking this asshole."

"Things change," Phoebe spat as she bent to retrieve her rifle. As she did so, she found herself staring at Cole's midsection and she hesitated again, provoking a bout of hilarity on his part. "See, I knew you wanted me," he teased.

"There's a difference between wanting and doing, Cole." Phoebe shot as she stood up and resolutely turned her back to him. As she walked away on shaky legs, she heard him calling to her. "You were always such a tease, Phoebe Turner." 

"Halliwell," she shouted without looking back. Phoebe stopped only when she reached the other clearing, and there she dropped to the ground heavily, unsure if the tremors that still shook her were from the outrage or the unfulfilled desire. By the time Cole came back with an armload of dry wood, she hadn't resolved this dilemma yet and she refused to look at him or discuss what happened. Seeing this, Cole simply chose to ignore her as well, as he got busy lighting the fire with matches he pulled from his shirt pocket. 

It didn't take him long to get the fire going and as the night fell quickly, Phoebe was grateful for the warmth. Unlike most other regions in Africa, the mountainous areas were sometimes rather cool at night and this place was a good example of it. For a long while, she remained almost unmoving, trying her best to calm herself while staring stubbornly at the fire. She partly succeeded, but it was her stomach that betrayed her as she became aware of how famished she was. 

Cole also found he was hungry and when Phoebe made a move toward her pack, he called to her as if nothing happened, as was his sometimes annoying habit. "Got anything good in there?"

"You shoulda thought of bringing your bag…" Phoebe answered curtly.

"So, now you're gonna let me starve?"

Phoebe shrugged. "I've got some chocolate…" She replied reluctantly.

"That's all? Not much of a meal…"

"I've also got jerky, but you don't want that."

"What? No good?"

"Cole, stop this crap. You and I both know you're a vegetarian and you only want to criticize me when I offer it to you."

Phoebe threw a chocolate bar his way and started munching on a slice of jerky while watching him almost defiantly. Meanwhile, he didn't touch the sweet.

"I thought you were hungry," Phoebe said after a moment.

"I'd really like a piece of that jerky actually."

"Didn't you hear me the first time," Phoebe snapped. "I won't let you goad me into another fight. I know what you're doing Cole."

"Is it so hard to believe that I might like this stuff?"

"Yes!" Phoebe almost shouted. She refrained from saying more, as she got annoyed with herself for giving in and becoming upset after saying she wouldn't. 

"Well, baby…That's where you're wrong. Alright, I'll admit, I came to this recently… But I found I enjoy the taste of meat as much as I used to when I was a kid. In fact, if I had my pack, I would prove it to you…"

Phoebe stared at him uncertainly, and then she started thinking that this discussion was entertaining rather than upsetting. "Let me get this straight. You, the great defender of the animals…you now enjoy eating them?" For the first time since they started on this trip, Phoebe had to repress an amused smile. "Now, whose turn is it to gloat?"

"Gloat all you want, but share," Cole retorted, while apparently repressing a timid smile of his own. "Ok am I gonna have to beg," he questioned when Phoebe made no move to give him a piece of her meat.

"First, I'd just like to know what changed."

Cole looked away with a hint of embarrassment. It was true that he had been a little ashamed of himself at first; but rationalization had gone a long way to help him through that since. However, he remembered quite a few animated discussions about Phoebe's eating habits and he knew she wouldn't let him forget about them. On the other hand, he had been looking for anything to get her talking and this seemed to work. Thus, Cole figured it was worth suffering through a little retribution on her part. "Let's just say that living in Africa, and mostly taking care of those cats, taught me something about the food chain."

"Am I getting this right? You mean all those times you accused me of being a monster for eating meat; not to mention all the arguments and the winces of disgust, and now you eat it?"

"As I said before, you're welcome to gloat. Mind you, I understand you already are…I'm still hungry though."

Phoebe smiled mockingly at this, but she still reopened her pack and got another ration for him. She threw it at Cole just as unceremoniously as she did with the chocolate bar, but this, Cole caught in mid air and started eating almost right away. "It's not a steak, but it'll do," he commented between bites.

"If you're trying to criticize my cooking, rest assured, I had nothing to do with the preparation of this stuff…"

"Come on, Phoebe. I may be an ass, but we can still have a conversation without it turning into an argument."

"So you're not trying to make me mad…?"

"If you're thinking that I was hoping you'd be more receptive if angry…the thought may have crossed my mind…"

"Cole," Phoebe warned, all trace of amusement gone.

"Hey, I was just joking…honest to god, I do eat meat now….even if."

"Don't finish this sentence," Phoebe cut him.

Cole sighed comically, but he didn't add anything else. 

While they finished their frugal meal in silence, Phoebe reflected sheepishly that Cole had good reasons to believe it might have happened. She couldn't count the times where their arguments were resolved in bed. The angrier they got, the more intense their lovemaking was afterward. Cole tended to respond to unpleasantness by seeking gratification, and to be truthful, Phoebe had learned to appreciate this particular trait tremendously. However, no matter how many times they argued, and all the upset that their life together had seen, she also remembered the good times. For a moment, she reminisced pleasantly about those until her ambivalence about Cole resurfaced. How could he have committed such an atrocious act when she knew for a fact he wasn't a violent man? On the other hand, as Cole pointed out, he had changed. Phoebe was just wondering how much, and if she should be worried.

After he had finished the last of the meat, Cole interrupted her reflections with a surprising admission. "I'm sorry for earlier," he said sheepishly. 

That shocked Phoebe more than any of what happened in the past few days. Cole never used to apologize spontaneously for anything; or at least, not without an ulterior motive. Yet, he had done it at least twice in two days and didn't seem to be about to make a move or anything. 

"I guess it was my fault too…" Phoebe answered barely above a whisper. 

"You gotta admit," Cole continued, "it did bring back some good memories…"

"Maybe," Phoebe conceded against her best judgement. "Why don't I take the first watch," She quickly added, unwilling to continue this potentially loaded discussion. 

"Nah…go ahead and sleep. I'm not tired." Cole countered casually as if he didn't notice her sudden leery attitude.

"You don't even have this tranquilizer gun with you…" Phoebe protested mildly. Even if her doubts were becoming thinner by the moment, she still couldn't completely dismiss the possibility that he had some ill intent toward her.

"Don't worry. If I see something, I'll holler. I know you'll come to my rescue," Cole retorted lightly. 

"Alright," Phoebe simply answered with mild relief when he didn't suggest using her gun before she pulled a blanket from her pack. 

"And if you get cold…don't hesitate to call "me" to the rescue…" This Cole uttered suggestively before standing up and walking away without giving her a chance to respond. Phoebe grimaced unhappily but she decided that at least, she could find solace in the fact that Cole had not changed that much after all. She put the rifle by her side, ready for use at any moment's notice, but it still didn't make her feel more comfortable and it was only sheer exhaustion from the exercise, and mostly all the intense emotions of that day, that got the best of her as she drifted off to sleep after a while.

~~~~~~~~~

Paul watched apprehensively as some of the deputies sent by the local police examined the body while others stood at the perimeter, all of them armed with powerful rifles. Although, this show of force was reassuring in a way, he also knew that Cole would have had a fit at seeing this many weapons around his animals. "Damn," Paul said under his breath. He had tried repeatedly to reach the hunting party, but so far the sat phone was uncooperative. Unlike his little white lie to Cole earlier this week, this time it really wasn't working when he needed it. 

Behind him, Mwaka echoed his thoughts about Cole. "The Mganga would be really pissed seeing those men here…"

"What's that," Paul asked distractedly as he was deep in his own concerns. 

"The guns," Mwaka simply said. 

"Oh right. The funny joke is that Cole's probably a better shot than any of them." Paul added almost for himself.

Mwaka gave him a surprised look. "What makes you say that? Bwana can't stand those…"

"I think he may have avoided mentioning the shooting lessons. It wouldn't fit with his image," Paul offered with an amused smile. "About two years ago, I brought him to spend some time in Congo and I managed to convince him to shoot a few rounds with me at a range. Imagine my surprise when he beat me at it after only two days of practice. He was actually enthusiastic about it."

"I don't believe it," Mwaka exclaimed incredulously.

"I didn't either and that was also quite frustrating given I've been shooting since I was a teenager. Don't get me wrong though. He still hates them when they're used for anything else but the shooting range."

Mwaka only shook his head in response, still finding this rather unbelievable. He soon changed the subject however. "Did you reach the party yet?"

"No…" Paul trailed unhappily. Before he could elaborate, one of the deputies near the body signalled for him to come forward imperatively. Paul grimaced unhappily as he didn't enjoy being this close to the dead man but he and Mwaka still headed for the deputy.

"What is it," Paul asked as soon as he got closer. 

"This man wasn't just mauled. He's got a severe skull fracture."

Paul bent reluctantly towards the body, which was now facing away as the deputies held him on his side. Even in his non-expert opinion, it was obvious that the deputy was right. This suddenly reminded him that Cole mentioned a similar wound on the dead poacher.

"What do you make of this?" Paul asked uncertainly.

"I've seen this Sigmund fellow in the morgue earlier this week. He had a similar wound," the deputy confirmed for Paul. "Looks to me like this might not be the work of a big cat after all..."

Paul was surprised that the native didn't jump to conclusions like most of the others did. Nevertheless, he decided not to kick a gift horse in the mouth. "That's also what I think…but still…what caused those wounds…" He added pensively.

The deputy gave another thoughtful gaze at the body. This one was on his back again and the atrocious wounds were painful to look at. The deputy winced before answering. "I can't be sure of course. This looks bad…but then again, I heard that some of those revolutionaries have set their sights on those mountains. There are lots of places to hide in them. Tracking them up there would be like searching for a needle in a haystack"

"But why kill this man and the poacher?"

"Maybe they are trying to scare you and others away so that they could settle around here. I'll admit this seems excessive but…" The deputy trailed.

Paul didn't say anything at first, as his worries suddenly took a whole new dimension. Cole and the others were on that mountain now. What if whoever did this decided that their hunting party should serve as another example? "My friend and a number of other people are up there hunting the tigers as we speak. Do you think you could spare a few men? I can't reach them on the sat phone and I'm getting worried."

"The men you see here are the only ones I could spare, Bwana." The deputy apologized. "I don't think it's a good idea to divide our forces. What if these thugs come back? Plus wouldn't it be to their advantage to let people believe the tigers were responsible?"

"Not if Phoebe kills the tigers…Then they would lose their scapegoats," Paul insisted. "For all we know, they followed the hunting party and my friend's already in trouble. That could explain the lack of response," Paul continued with mounting apprehension. 

The deputy was still hesitant as he surveyed the compound with his eyes.

"If you can bring in more men, I'll compensate them generously," Paul added persuasively.

"Well…it would take a while and it's already too late to go tonight. I'll…" he interrupted himself when the roar of a truck engine was heard coming from the opposite direction to the main road. 

All of them turned to see the vehicle Phoebe's men had come in the day before rolling into the courtyard. One of the natives jumped out of the cab as soon as it stopped and he immediately headed for the back of the vehicle. For a moment, Paul hoped that the entire hunting party was back, but when he saw the stretcher coming out of the truck with Philip on it, his anxiety went through the roof. Before he could even comment on that, the first native called to them in Swahili, indicating the back of the truck nervously. Mwaka, Paul and the deputy, whose breast tag said he was named Chaga Tutu, all headed wearily for the back of the truck. Paul and Mwaka now worried that they might find Cole in there, just as horribly hurt as the dead man in the courtyard. As they crossed path with the men carrying Philip, Paul saw that Phoebe's fiancée had a haunted look about him. Paul doubted it was his wound that caused this however and it was confirmed when they saw the bodies in the back… 


	7. Second Sight Chapter 6

**__**

**_Chapter VI_**

Three bodies now lay in the courtyard; one more mutilated than the next. While two of his deputies began the grim task of putting them in body bags, Chaga was getting details about the tragedy from Phoebe's bearers. It was soon clear that the dead men were in fact part of the team of bearers. They met their unfortunate destinies less than fifteen minutes on foot from their companions. It was only after Philip got hurt and it was decided he had to return to the compound that the gruesome discovery was made.  On their way back, the three men who were dispatched to accompany Philip were just as nervous as the two who left them earlier and they were scouring the trail for any sign of danger. That's how they noticed a hat near the trail. At first, they simply thought it had been forgotten there, but then they also noticed a pack of hyena about a hundred meters away and that was enough to make them wonder. After an animated debate, they had finally opted to get there with the truck. The roar of the engine had quickly dispersed the shy hyenas; but by the time they got there, there was little left of their friends. Nevertheless, there was still more than enough for them to know they had been viciously attacked. Chaga agreed with this as he noticed the same deep wounds as on the first victim, along with the same appearance of a rage killing. Whatever was out there either was a deranged animal, or more likely, someone who intended to put fear in the hearts of whoever dared travel this area. His theory about the revolutionaries was becoming more plausible by the moment.

"Your friend says that you saw something else you found strange," Chaga asked one of the natives who had remained quiet so far.

The man seemed uncertain, as if he feared Chaga would think him crazy if he was to talk.

"I need to know everything," Chaga insisted as he took a step toward the native.

"I found tracks, Bwana," the man began almost shyly. "Strange tracks, yes," he added. 

"How so," Chaga encouraged him.

"Man-beast tracks…" The native uttered quickly without even looking at the deputy.

"What?" Chaga exclaimed incredulously.

"It looked like a human footprint…but with claws…"

Chaga observed the man closely, seriously wondering if he was delusional. However, the native found it in him to look up and stare straight at Chaga. "That's what I saw," the man said, answering the silent question.

"Well…thank you …My men and I will investigate this in the morning. I'd appreciate it if one of you came along to indicate where Dr. Turner and the others went up the mountain."

align=center style='text-align:center'> 

The man who found the strange tracks was also the one who offered his services. Chaga was tempted to decline, but a theory was forming in his mind and it gave him a different perspective. 

Meanwhile, Paul was waiting near the house with Mwaka; both of them were keeping their distance from the bodies. For her part, and out of sheer exhaustion, Kathy had fallen asleep inside the sunroom. By then it was almost the middle of the night and Paul wished he could do the same but he was too wired and anxious to sleep. He no longer feared an attack and he had done his best to reassure the vet about it earlier, but he couldn't stop worrying about Cole and the rest of the hunting party. The last victims were killed in their vicinity and Paul had very little doubt that whatever did the deed might be after them. 

Paul was distracted from his unpleasant mulling when he saw the deputy coming back with a puzzled expression. "What did they say," Paul asked immediately.

"Nothing that will tell us for sure who or what the attackers are… Although you're right about the potential risk to the hunting party... Then, there's this thing…"

"What thing?"

"One of them spoke of bizarre tracks…Seems that he saw what he called "Man-Beast" tracks." Chaga described the tracks to them and they had the same comprehensibly dubious reaction. 

"I can accept that something strange is going on, but this sounds more like one of those indigenous superstitions than facts." Paul suggested.

"I agree that it doesn't sound very plausible and yet…there could be a logical explanation. Remember what I told you about those revolutionaries? Maybe they tried to fake the tigers' tracks, but ended up walking in them by mistake?"

"At least that's a more valid theory than one of a "Man-Beast"," Paul agreed. "When can we leave," he added immediately.

"I told you it wouldn't be safe to leave before daylight. In addition, more men are coming, but they won't be here for another two hours. In the meantime, there's nothing more we can do, Bwana. In fact, I don't even think you should come along…"

"I'm going," Paul affirmed. "There's no way I'm staying here. I've climbed this mountain before. I won't hold you back."

"At the time, I doubt if there were vicious killers roaming about, Bwana. I can't insure your safety…"

"What about my friend's safety?" Paul reproached. "Or yours for that matter? At any rate, this isn't open for debate. Until your government says otherwise, you're on my land and what I say goes."

Chaga was obviously unhappy about this, but he didn't see the point in protesting further. "Just in case, I'll leave three armed men around here, so the compound should be safe," he pursued instead. "Try to get some sleep, Bwana."

"Easier said than done," Paul replied darkly.

~~~~~~~~

Cole was standing alone in the middle of a green field. He felt strangely oppressed and isolated. He glanced behind him nervously, and there was nothing but the field as far as he could see. When he looked back however, he was no longer alone. By then, he wished he was. About a hundred feet ahead, he could see the two tigers lying down in the luxurious grass. They were staring at him and in spite of their relaxed stance, Cole felt as if he was being stalked. "Come on guys, you know me…" he said as calmly as he could. He realized he was holding something and, as he looked down, he caught his breath when he found it was a hunting rifle. Cole was tempted to drop it, but he understood he was in danger. "Look, I won't use this if you don't try anything," he called to the animals. 

These suddenly stood up, but not like tigers normally do. Instead, they stood on their hind legs, almost walking upright like apes. 

"What the hell," Cole exclaimed half from surprise, and half in a panic. "Stay away…" he added, while hesitantly shouldering the gun. 

The tigers took a few more steps toward him. Cole swallowed hard and armed the weapon. "I don't wanna do this, guys…but if you move closer…"

Behind him, a familiar voice startled him. "Leave now, Cole. They'll let you go, but she's doomed." Cole recognized his old mentor's voice immediately, even though he had not heard from him in two years. Hector Thornbird was the man who introduced him to a more radical branch of the animal rights activists. They met at the University where Hector was Cole's biochemistry teacher.  Prior to his University tenure, Hector used to work in a laboratory that was experimenting on animals and when he couldn't take it anymore, he quit his job and reoriented his career. However, he had not stopped at this and became the leader of an underground group, dedicated to stopping the most revolting uses of animals by science.  

"Hector," Cole asked while keeping his eyes on the strangely behaving tigers. These had stopped, but they kept staring at him. "What are you doing here?"

"You've got to leave her, Cole," Hector pursued as if there hadn't been any interruption. "She's doomed because she didn't keep her word. They will punish her but you could be spared."

Upon hearing this, Cole tried a quick look behind him and in doing so he caught sight of Phoebe, fast asleep in the green grass. "I'm not leaving her to die, Hector. Show yourself," he added when he couldn't find his mentor anywhere. 

As he looked back, he saw that the tigers were now merely ten feet away, growling at him and Phoebe. "Stay away," Cole shouted; his finger shaking as he began slowly pulling the trigger. "I'm warning you. I won't let you hurt Phoebe."

"Listen to me," Hector's voice pursued intensely. "I won't be able to protect you if you do this."

Just then, the tigers started running toward him and Cole saw no other choice but to shoot at them. However, even after he shot them repeatedly, the tigers kept coming and as they pounced, Cole woke up with a start, realizing he'd dozed off. 

The moon was still high in the sky, but the fire was slowly dying and Cole couldn't see all the way to the trees. He threw some more wood on the fire before standing up, determined to stay awake this time. He half-expected to see Hector coming to him at any moment, so vivid the nightmare had been . Cole shook his head vigorously, trying very hard to chase those images away and most of all, the strange malaise he was left with. 

Cole only partially succeeded, but he figured that it would soon go away as he turned toward Phoebe and found that she was still asleep. He figured he was lucky that she didn't surprise him sleeping on the job, because she would have had a fit. In truth, Cole wasn't very pleased with himself either. He could have awakened her then, but he felt bad about his weakness and decided to let her sleep a little longer. Then, just when he was starting towards the edge of the clearing, he thought he saw something moving in the shadows and he stopped abruptly. Instinctively, he glanced back and saw that Phoebe was still unmoving. One of her hands was resting on the rifle and for a moment, he was tempted to call to her, but he decided to make sure what was there first. 

Cole took a few more cautious steps toward the woods, while peering intently at the darkness and suddenly, a chimp emerged from the shadows, apparently shaking either from the cold or from fright; Cole couldn't tell. "Hey little guy," he called to the chimp with relief, "you scared the shit out of me. What the hell are you doing out here in the middle of the night?"

The chimp moved closer, apparently not afraid of Cole. When the chimp was close enough, Cole noticed a small tag attached to the animal's wrist. "Come on little one. Now that you're here, I'd like to know who you are," Cole said to the chimp while he crouched to the ground slowly. The animal allowed Cole to grab it and this one smiled as he read the tag. "Ah, Cindy," Cole said as he stood up, cradling the chimp.  Cindy soon became a little calmer in his arms. "Well now, not that I don't appreciate meeting you again but, shouldn't you be with your little friends? Particularly at night… Didn't your mother teach you that?"

Cole sat back near the fire, still holding the chimp, and Cindy tensed slightly in his arms. "What's that?" The chimp was staring at Phoebe. "Oh don't worry, she doesn't bite…much." Cole clowned softly. "Well, seeing as you're here, you'll keep me company won't you?" Cole remembered this chimp from having set a bad fracture in her leg less than two months ago. She was skittish at first, but he had won her trust and by the time he released her, almost a month afterward, he felt that they had become friends of sort. "So how's the leg?" He asked while examining the ailing member. "Looks great to me." Cindy allowed him to examine her, but she continued giving worried glances towards Phoebe all the while. "Hey, I told you. She's a kitten…well, with claws; but a kitten nevertheless. You don't have anything to worry about. Hey, you hungry," Cole asked of the chimp as he bent toward Phoebe's pack. "I'm sure she won't mind. Let's see if there's something good for you."

The chimp left Cole's arms and sat beside him as he did so. "Hey, look at that. She's got an apple here. You want some?" Cindy almost seemed to nod yes and Cole smiled anew. "We'll share…" he said, cutting the apple in two with a knife he pulled from the same bag. As he was putting it back, he noticed a camera at the bottom of the pack. Cole pulled it out curiously. Phoebe used to bring along those disposable cameras to take pictures on her safaris. However this was a much more sophisticated instrument, equipped with a powerful zoom. "Hum…" he mumbled, "you think she found a new hobby?"

The chimp bit into her piece of apple hungrily while apparently not paying Cole much attention. "Of course, you don't care what Phoebe does, do you? I had managed to stop thinking about her too, you know? At least I thought I did…"

Cindy put her hand on Cole's gently at this. "Well, nice of you to care…" Cole said while petting her neck as he knew she liked. "At least, you didn't forget about me. Phoebe sure did. Coming here with a fiancée, no less… Yeah I know; it's been five years. What did I expect, right? And after all, I haven't exactly been alone either…How can I reproach anything to her, right? But hell," he suddenly exclaimed, "I didn't go and get engaged!"

Cindy moved back slightly, startled by the exclamation. "Sorry girl. I'm just a little miffed. How would she know anyway? Phoebe's got good reasons to think she had to forget about me. I made sure of that, didn't I?" Cole fell silent for a moment, thinking back to that fateful moment, five years ago. 

~~~~~

In truth, it had all started the previous evening, when Cole and Abner came to blows after months of brewing resentment. His father in law had just booked a safari to India. Ironically, it was to hunt a tiger suspected of being a man-eater. That night, through dinner, Abner and Phoebe discussed the trip animatedly and Cole was becoming more upset by the moment, wondering how they could be so insensitive. After a while, Phoebe noticed Cole's expression and tried to change the subject, but Abner saw through her attempt.

"When are you gonna stop protecting this playboy's feelings, Skip?"

"Dad, please," Phoebe tried but not firmly enough.

 "Let him talk, Phoebe. We both know what your father thinks of me. He's not made this a secret," Cole spat angrily. "And I'm also certain you both know what I think of your stuff," he added in the same tone of voice.

"If you were half a man, I might actually accept you into my family even if I'll never agree with you on anything. But that's not the case. You don't care about Skip's happiness; just that your sensibilities don't get hurt."

"Son of a bitch," Cole exclaimed, no longer able to contain himself as he had done so many times in the previous months to please Phoebe. "If it wasn't for her, you'd be lying on the floor, nursing a broken jaw."

"Wow, the wimp can talk big. But can he live up to his words," Abner taunted.

"Cole, Abner. For god sake," Phoebe tried to intervene.

"Stay out of this, Skip. Your man's old enough to take care of himself. He shouldn't need you to defend him." Abner uttered disdainfully while staring in Cole's eyes all the while. 

Cole stared back defiantly. 

"Dad, that's enough. I asked you…"

"Skip, shut up."

"Don't talk to my wife like that," Cole growled.

"You won't tell me how to speak to my daughter, wimp." Cole was now shaking from the outrage but he was still trying to contain himself.

 "Stop being such a goddamn coward and do it," Abner taunted. When he saw that Cole still wouldn't budge, Abner pursued relentlessly, "or maybe you think if you do, I'll cut her off and you won't get the money you married her for…?"

"Abner," Phoebe exclaimed in outrage of her own, but it was too late to stop anything. 

Cole didn't hesitate anymore and he swung his right fist toward the older man. Abner managed to dodge the swing and he punched Cole in the stomach in response. Cole folded in two from the shock.

"Stop that you two," Phoebe shouted almost fearfully. 

However, neither Cole nor Abner were listening to her at that point. Cole always tried to avoid fighting at all cost, but the pain from the punch along with Abner's insulting attitude finally got the better of him. As soon as he caught his breath, he straightened up and swung his fist again, this time connecting with Abner's jaw forcefully. The older man was thrown to the floor by the force of the hit and Cole almost went after him again, but Phoebe pushed him away angrily. "How could you," she exclaimed, while a horrified expression spread over her face. This acted like a cold shower on Cole's rage but by then it was too late. Phoebe knew that Abner had been asking for it, and that, for months, but she obviously sided with her father. "I think you better leave now," Phoebe said shakily as she stared at Cole reproachfully. 

Cole hesitated, knowing this had gone too far and feeling ashamed like never before in his life; but at the same time, he thought that Phoebe was being unfair to him. Abner provoked this, and Cole suddenly realized that maybe he wanted him to do the worst so that Phoebe would look at him differently. Obviously, it worked. For a moment, Cole was tempted to apologize and try to make amends, but he couldn't find it in him to do so and he turned his back to Phoebe, leaving the house without another word. 

That night, he stayed at his clinic and the next day, an old friend of his, Sandra Cantrell, came to ask for his help with a baby gorilla that wasn't doing well at the zoo she worked at. He knew her from long before he met Phoebe. In truth, they had gone out for about a month before both of them decided to end the fling of a common accord and to remain friends. That day however, Sandra noticed that Cole was very tense and after a lot of coaxing, she got him to talk. Cole was actually feeling a little better for it and had almost resolved to try patching things up with Phoebe, but not before he helped Sandra.  

His friend drove him to the zoo and back to the clinic. Then, Cole waved Sandra goodbye, convinced that she was leaving and he went in, heading straight for the shower that was adjacent to his office. He had planned to call Phoebe and to arrange a dinner for them afterward, but both Phoebe and Sandra had other ideas. Less than a minute after he went into the shower, Sandra joined him, stark naked and obviously in the mood for more than friendship. Cole figured out later that when he confided in her, Sandra assumed he was leaving Phoebe for all the anger there had been in his words. In a way, she may have believed he needed someone and maybe, she was in a place where she did too. Cole never knew for sure. For the space of a moment, he actually contemplated taking the offer, as he wasn't made of wood, far from it. However, before he could send Sandra away, after dismissing this passing weakness, Phoebe surprised them in there. 

Cole knew he would never forget the look on Phoebe's face. Abner had done a good job of planting the seeds of suspicion in her mind and what she witnessed seemed to prove everything her father told her beyond a shadow of a doubt. Sandra herself was not helping as she was staring back defiantly at Phoebe, as if she meant to say that she was the one who belonged with Cole, and not Phoebe. In that instant, Cole made a decision that ended up causing him more pain than he ever imagined it would. Instead of defending himself by trying to explain the situation to his wife, he chose to let her believe whatever she wanted. At the time, it wasn't anger that motivated him, but rather the fact that from the way she looked at him, he believed there wasn't anything left to save between them. 

~~~~~

The chimp was pulling on his sleeve and that brought Cole back to the present. "What is it," he asked distractedly. "You're still hungry?"

Cole put the camera down as he looked for anything else he could share with the animal. "Sorry, Cindy… Seems there's nothing else for you in here," he said. After he closed the bag, he found himself staring at Phoebe's face. "Isn't she pretty?" Cindy grunted as she was miffed that he didn't give her anything. "Oh come on…Not in a chimp way, but still…" Cole said, pretending she had protested against his comment instead. "Could you believe I used to spend hours just watching her sleeping. Pathetic, hey? Every time we had one of those bloody arguments, I was afraid that it would be the one time she'd leave me. What was I supposed to do though? Forget all I believed in? Do you think that's what she wanted from me?" Cole sat back, still staring at Phoebe uncertainly. "You don't know how many times I've wondered…maybe it would've been worth it…"

The chimp apparently understood there wouldn't be any more food, but she still came back and cuddled beside him. "You're a softy aren't you?"

Cindy emitted a barely perceptible whine in response. "You're a pretty thing too, you know?" Cole said while resuming his petting of her neck. "I wish it was that easy with humans…well not all of them," he added while gazing at Phoebe again. "She used to be cuddly like you. I wonder if she's still like that. You think this Philip is the one for her?"

Cindy groaned but otherwise she didn't react. "Well, I'm not sure myself, but I guess Abner must have been happy. The guy obviously has some money of his own. So that would be one less thing Daddy hunter would've had to worry about."

The chimp started wriggling at this. "I see you don't like to talk about this Philip any more than Celia… I guess there's something to it. Of course, it's probably because you both think I'm pathetic to be jealous of a woman I divorced so long ago. Can't blame you there. I can't understand it myself. Must be like Hector told me once… Oh you wanna know don't you?" Cole asked the chimp. "He told me…love is like a drug. As long as you stay away from it, you can live without it; but take just one taste of it again and you're back into the addiction. The old man knew what he was talking about. He had a tough divorce too. Not that he blamed you or any of your little furry friends, mind you. His wife just didn't understand how he could leave a promising job just for a principle. I don't think they ever recovered from that one." In saying so, Cole was also reminded of the awful nightmare, but then he reasoned that hearing Hector's voice might have had more to do with his present emotional state than the tigers or this hunt. "Yeah well…when this thing is over, I'll just have to start healing again. Hopefully, won't take as long."

Cindy suddenly turned her back to him and she took a few steps toward the forest. Seeing this, Cole returned his complete attention to her. "What? You're abandoning me too? Come back…you don't wanna be alone in the dark…" The chimp actually hesitated, as if she was weighing her options. "Ok to tell you the truth, I don't like to be alone in the dark either. So what do you say?"

Cindy faced him again, but she suddenly jumped back, obviously scared.

"I didn't abandon you," Phoebe uttered calmly behind Cole.

The blood drained from Cole's face. When they were together, Phoebe was a rather sound sleeper. He used to talk to her just like this after she fell asleep and she'd never wake up on him. However, even through his discomfort, he answered lightly. "Jeez, what do you call demanding a divorce?"

"You know perfectly well why I did…"

"Oh right, of course. Let's not forget my own little walk on the wild side. My mistake…Let's call it even. Well, now that you're up, I can finally get some sleep," he offered as if nothing was the matter. "Hey Cindy, want to share the blanket with me," he called to the chimp who had put a considerable distance between her and them. "Now you see, you scared her," Cole reproached mockingly.

"Maybe she got bored with all your talking…You really haven't changed a bit..."

"How so?  You were always telling me that I didn't talk enough…"

"While I was awake… I've heard a lot more from you while pretending to sleep…"

"Damn! Maybe I wasn't fucking you hard enough. I thought you were exhausted..." Cole joked half-heartedly without looking at her.

"Don't be so vulgar."

"Don't tell me you're shocked. Now you see; that I won't believe."

"How did you make sure I'd forget about you," Phoebe asked suddenly.

Cole didn't answer right away, as he was now thinking furiously back to all he told the chimp, worried that Phoebe heard something she shouldn't have. While doing so, he pretended not to have heard the question as he uselessly put some more wood on the fire.

"Cole," Phoebe insisted, knowing she didn't need to repeat the question in spite of his attitude.

"If we really have to get into this…you know what I did. I thought that was more than enough, and I don't feel like talking about it now."

"You said you made sure…how?" Phoebe insisted more forcefully.

"Goddamn it, Phoebe. You fucking demanded a divorce over it. You won't make me believe you don't remember. What is it? You want me to beg for your forgiveness now?" 

In spite of the harshness in Cole's voice, Phoebe sensed hesitation as well. She'd heard everything and it didn't fit at all with what happened. "I just think I deserve to know the truth…"

"You know the truth! Your asshole of a father was right. There you have it!" Cole spat while lying down in the grass as if he thought the discussion was closed.

"Don't you talk about my father like that! He's dead!" Phoebe screamed angrily.

"Not soon enough!" Cole let out as he sat back and stared at Phoebe irately.

"How dare you?"

"How dare he!" Cole shot back. "That son of a bitch! It must've been some sport killing my cat. She was probably rolling over thinking they'd throw some food at her. To think everyone called him great!"

"What the fuck are you talking about," Phoebe screamed in his face. 

"My cat. My panther. He killed her before getting what he deserved!" Cole regretted those words the moment they were out. Just the thought that he wished Abner dead, even if only for a few seconds, almost nauseated him. However, he couldn't really take it back as he was still shaking with rage. He didn't know why he brought it up. Maybe it was the fact that she was reopening a can of worms he didn't want to deal with. Whatever the reason, Phoebe's expression was exactly what he'd expect after hearing this. However, if Cole understood that he had gone too far, he had no idea about the suspicions he'd just reawakened.

"Your cat," Phoebe finally questioned much too calmly, considering how obviously angry she was. 

"Yes my cat…a pet I cared deeply about and he killed her," Cole answered reluctantly.

"How much…"

"What?"

"How much did you care about that panther? Enough to kill for revenge?"

Cole was so flabbergasted that at first, he only stared at Phoebe as if he didn't hear what she said.

"Was that enough for you to kill because of it," Phoebe repeated, but this time, with a hint of hesitation. 

Somehow, that was what did it for Cole.  All the anger and remorse flew away, replaced by an irrepressible hilarity and he burst out laughing.

"I don't see what's so funny. I've just accused you of…"

"You don't have to repeat it. I heard every word…" Cole managed through his hilarity. 

"Did you kill Abner?" Phoebe asked but with less and less conviction. 

"God…to think I was afraid I was the only one… The only difference between us is that I don't try to deny it to myself." Even while saying this, Cole continued laughing although somewhat less enthusiastically.

"What kind of answer is that?"

"You were so fucking afraid of your feelings for me that you tried to make me into some kind of monster. In a strange way, I'm flattered. Did it work though," Cole clowned.

"You son of a bitch. You…I just…" Phoebe became speechless, because she suddenly realized there might be some truth to this. What had seemed a perfectly logical theory so far was now crumbling in her mind. Right after Cole apparently wished her father dead, he seemed devastated. However, that wasn't really why she knew her suspicions were ridiculous. Deep down, she'd known all along. Nonetheless, Phoebe wasn't ready to accept the part about her motivations. "You're delusional…Ok I'll admit that thinking you were a killer was a little farfetched but…"

"Don't sweat it babe. I know what I know. No need for a long explanation." Cole pursued cockily. This time, however, he was simply covering his relief. From the moment Phoebe came back into his life, he felt the need for her too strong for comfort. Now at least, the look on her face gave him the proof that he wasn't the only one with regrets. 

"Hey," Phoebe tried to protest again. "I didn't admit to anything."

"I'm not expecting you to, Phoebe," Cole said while he lied back as he once again tried to cut the discussion short.

"Why would it have to be about my feelings? I… I thought it made sense, on the contrary. You hated Abner and hunters in general. You…"

Cole turned to her with a suddenly serious expression. "Wait a minute…In your elaborate dark fantasy…did you think I wanted to hurt you too?"

"Well I…"

"Oh that's rich! Who the fuck saved your butt today? Or did you conveniently forget about that?"

"I didn't…"

"Let me guess…you thought what? That I saved you so I could throw you to the tigers? Cole Turner, the demented beast master? Was that what you were thinking?"

Phoebe lowered her eyes uncertainly, confirming this for him. 

"Good God, Phoebe. I can actually accept that for a while, you might've believed I wanted to hurt Abner… Hell, we both know what happened in the past…but you?"

"I…," Phoebe tried without conviction.

"What?" Cole questioned incredulously while coming closer. "You got that in your head I cheated on you, so you figured, from a cheat to a killer…?"

"You never answered my question," Phoebe countered as she looked up. 

"What question? About Abner; or about me cheating on you?"

"I don't believe you wanted to hurt anyone," Phoebe replied a little more calmly.

"Well, that's something, if too little too late…As for the rest…it's better left in the past," Cole said, looking away.

Phoebe grabbed his face and forced him to look at her directly. "I'll admit I was wrong to think that of you. But I deserve an answer."

"What you deserve is up for debate, Phoebe," Cole told her curtly. "As for what happened, it really doesn't matter anymore. You've got this new fiancée and a new life. I've got a life of my own and we don't need to dwell on what ifs…"

"You really can be a chatter box when it's for saying nothing."

"Look, you told me you overheard stuff and yet you're still asking me. What difference would it make if I told you anything directly?"

"Do you know how long it took me to start this new life you're talking about?" Phoebe asked with renewed anger.

"Until tonight, I actually believed not very long…" 

"Well you were wrong."

"You mean that cold attitude you harboured toward me was just for show?" Cole challenged. "You pined for me even though you thought I betrayed you?" He pursued, somewhat less assuredly.

"At the time, I wondered if you ever loved me…" When she saw the hurt in Cole's eyes, Phoebe was tempted to stop the questions. However, she truly wanted to know the truth. The thought that Cole cared so little about their relationship had haunted her for much too long, "I deserve to know," she repeated.

For a long moment, Cole couldn't say a word, as he was torn between getting angry at her for not believing he'd loved her and the fact that he knew she had good reasons. "For what it's worth," he finally said in a subdued tone of voice, "no, I didn't sleep with her and I had no intentions of doing so."

"W…why?" Phoebe asked then, suddenly unsure what was worse. That she believed he cheated on her all this time, or that he didn't care enough to tell her he didn't.

"Why what, Phoebe? Why I didn't?"

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"You see, that's why I didn't want to have this conversation in the first place."

"You could've said something. It didn't have to end this way."

"No, I really couldn't, Phoebe," Cole replied sadly. "I…it was the best thing to do."

"For whom," Phoebe exclaimed incredulously. "For you?"

"For you…"Cole replied with conviction. "I wasn't what you needed. We tried so hard but…you needed someone that suited yours and Abner's lifestyle. I wasn't that person."

"Did you do it on purpose? You didn't care how much it would hurt me?"

"Of course I cared, Phoebe. And I'd never have done that to you on purpose. It just happened…I knew I wouldn't find it in me to leave you…so it seemed like the best solution at the time."

"Abner was right," Phoebe suddenly exploded. "You're just a coward. You didn't love me. You just wanted out."

"How dare you," Cole countered as he grabbed her shoulders. "Do you know how much I regretted this? You don't have a clue!"

"You left me," Phoebe continued unabated. "You didn't care enough to try."

"You didn't care enough to even wonder if you were wrong, Phoebe. You preferred believing all the crap Abner said instead."

"You can't reproach me that now. You're the one I found in the shower with a naked girl."

"I loved you," Cole pleaded forcefully.

"No you didn't. You wouldn't have done that if you did."

"Yes I do love you," Cole replied intensely. Just then, he realized at the same time as Phoebe what he just said and he let go of her suddenly. "I mean I did…"

 "That's not what you said," Phoebe uttered uncertainly. 

"That was just a slip of the tongue…"

"Or was it like Hector said," Phoebe questioned. "you're…addicted?  Is that how you put it?"

"I see you were paying attention…"

"Is that why you behaved like an ass with Philip and I?"

"I thought you said you didn't believe I loved you…"

"I don't know what to think anymore," Phoebe replied painfully.

"Believe this," Cole uttered almost angrily before he pulled her to him and kissed her passionately as he had wanted to all day. 

Phoebe tried to resist at first but it wasn't long before she responded, throwing her arms around his neck and pulling him closer to her instinctively. 

In that instant, neither one of them thought of anything besides this moment. Not the past, not the nature around them, or even Philip. All Cole knew was that he didn't want to let go of the moment and he wanted to feel Phoebe against him. He pulled on her shirt, impatient to feel her skin under his touch, and as soon as he did, Phoebe moaned against his mouth, convincing him that she had wanted it as much as he did. He stopped kissing her just long enough to take the shirt off of her without even bothering to unbutton it, and he soon found the soft curve of her breasts, which were ample but firm at the same time. Phoebe was now arching herself against him, urging him as she obviously was just as impatient as he was. Indeed, she didn't protest when he laid her down in the grass and his lips left her mouth to find her already hard nipple. Encouraged by her apparent abandon, Cole fumbled with her belt buckle, but that appeared to have a slightly cooling effect on Phoebe. "Cole…" she uttered breathlessly.

Reluctantly, he moved up to face her but at the same time, he pressed his hips against hers. "Now Phoebe, if I believed you didn't want it, I'd stop right now…" 

"We shouldn't," Phoebe tried, even though she was already pulling at his own shirt impatiently.

"Was that a no," Cole questioned teasingly from her neck before trailing his tongue slowly down toward her breasts. 

"I," Phoebe sighed haltingly. "Yes," she let out a little too loud, and then she grabbed his buttocks, pulling him to her tighter.

"You better not change your mind because you're gonna have to shoot me."

Just then, a loud crash was heard from the forest, and then something seemed to be running toward them. By pure reflex, Phoebe pushed Cole off and grabbed the rifle.

"Hey, I didn't mean it literally," Cole uttered nervously, not so much worried about what Phoebe would do, but about what was coming toward them. "But if this is the tigers, I'll kill them with my bare hands for interrupting." 

Just then, the chimp, which had long left the clearing, emerged again from between the trees. This time however, she was running hard; obviously scared, and both Phoebe and Cole braced themselves for what was coming behind her…


	8. Second Sight Chapter 7

** Chapter VII**

**C**indy ran straight at them and then swerved at the last minute, avoiding them as she continued toward the other side of the clearing. Cole glanced her way just long enough to see her climbing a tree as fast as she had been running and when he looked back, he saw a bush pig charging at them. Instinctively, he threw himself to the side, but he saw that Phoebe was aiming at the animal while she stood fast. "Phoebe, move!" he shouted. 

However, his scream was echoed by three detonations in rapid succession, and Cole turned toward the pig again. To his astonishment, the animal kept coming. Without a second thought, he rushed to Phoebe and pushed her out of the pig's way. The animal's tusk, a razor sharp appendage, caught his left leg, ripping through his pants and causing a searing pain to his calf, but the pig just went on, as if they had only been a mere obstacle. 

"Damn it," Cole exclaimed as soon as the pig reentered the forest. "Didn't your father teach you anything? That pig could've torn you to shreds!"

"Are you ok," Phoebe questioned anxiously, sidestepping the reproach altogether. She glanced where the bush pig entered the woods, but she doubted it would be back as she believed that if nothing else, the shots might have convinced it to stay away. 

"Do I look ok?" Cole growled, grabbing Phoebe's attention anew.

She bent toward his leg and after a quick examination, she was reassured. "Oh come on, you wuss; it's just a scratch."

"Which could have been avoided, if you'd just got out of its way…Wait a minute! You shot at it three times and it didn't even look hurt!"

"I missed…" Phoebe replied casually, while she pulled a vial from her pack.

"You missed? Now, don't get me wrong; I'm grateful there wasn't any bloodshed…I mean besides my own…Ouch!" Cole let out loudly when Phoebe poured what was in all likelihood strong antiseptic on his exposed cut. "You could've warned me!"

"Maybe if you'd paid attention instead of criticizing," Phoebe retorted with a self-satisfied expression. 

"You've got no bedside manners whatsoever," Cole grumbled. However, his attitude changed quickly when he noticed that Phoebe was still topless. "On the other hand, who needs bedside manners when the view is so fetching…"

"Cole, you just got hurt!"

"That doesn't change the view…" In saying so, he tried to encircle her waist, but Phoebe pulled away and grabbed her shirt, putting it on quickly. "Oh come on, Phoebe, he's gone…although I still don't know how," he added with a frown.

"I told you…I missed."

"Phoebe…that's the second time today… No, make that four! I counted three shots earlier. Didn't Abner use to boast about your shooting skills? If I remember well, he even said that you were a better shot than he was."

"Doesn't mean I can't miss... Plus I really don't see how that would be a problem for you," Phoebe countered. However, she looked away with what seemed a hint of embarrassment while saying so. 

"It's not…or at least, it won't be as soon as the sting goes away," Cole grimaced while holding his leg just over the wound.

"Don't be such a baby," Phoebe mocked, apparently relieved that he wasn't insisting. 

"Don't believe I'm done with this subject, Phoebe," Cole uttered to her obvious displeasure. "Did you miss on purpose?"

Phoebe's discomfort seemed to grow by the moment.

~~~~~

Faraji woke up with a start, certain that he heard gunshots. Two of his bearers shared a tent with him and they also sat up abruptly. "What was that," he asked uselessly, grabbing his rifle and a powerful electric torch before cautiously pushing the tent flap open. Outside, the night seemed quiet. In fact, Faraji thought it was almost too quiet. The fire was still burning, but it was waning down and he used the torch to survey their surroundings. However, he saw nothing but trees and grass out there. More of his men emerged from their tents and Faraji made a quick decision. "Half with me; half break the camp. We're going to find out what those gun shots were about."

"I don't think it's a good idea," one of his men uttered fearfully. "We should stick together."

"You're a big man, Hiji; and you've all got guns. What do you have to fear?" Faraji told him assuredly. Inwardly however, he wasn't as confident. His man's concern was valid. Surely, even if the other bearers weren't told about the worst killings, they all sensed that something strange and dangerous was about. Faraji thought he could feel it in his bones. Nonetheless, he owed it to the lady who hired him to investigate these shots. She might be in a heap of trouble as they were standing there. The doctor surely wouldn't be of great help given his reluctance to hurt the beasts. 

"I still say we shouldn't divide our forces. The Daktari is not here with us…"

"Hiji," Faraji exclaimed with exasperation. "I'm the leader and what I say goes. You'll stay behind to dismount the tent with half the men. Then you hurry behind us. We're near the crossing now and I believe we should find the Bi and the Mganga soon."

"Maybe she already shot the tigers?"

"Well, all the more reasons not to make such a fuss," Faraji replied curtly. Then, he pointed at a few of his men and walked away without another word. The men only hesitated a moment before doing as they were told. As he left the circle of light the campfire still provided, two large eyes reflected the fainting illumination, but neither Faraji, nor his men noticed them as they went off into the night…

~~~~~~

"I need to dress that wound," Phoebe said after a long silence. 

"Why won't you answer me," Cole replied, obviously puzzled by her reticence. 

Again, Phoebe avoided the question, instead, tearing a piece of her sleeve to serve as a bandage. She then tried to lift the pant, but found it wouldn't go high enough. "You're gonna have to take them off…"

"With pleasure," Cole answered cockily. "I was actually waiting for an invite."

"Cole, would you stop this!"

"Maybe I'll behave if you answer my question. Although I make no promises," he added with an amused smile as he took off his pants.

Phoebe shrugged irritably, but remained silent while she concentrated on the wound and tried her best not to look up. 

"Phoebe," Cole insisted.

"What," Phoebe answered brusquely while tightening the fabric a little too forcefully, which caused Cole to grunt unhappily.

"Hey, I don't need a tourniquet, babe. I'm already losing sensation in my foot…"

"If I had known you were such a wimp…"

"I'm not a wimp," Cole protested mildly, "Just a doctor who thinks you're causing me more damage than the pig ever did."

"That's gratitude for you."

"How about yours?" Cole questioned pointedly.

"Sorry…I should've thanked you…"

"No need. Just answer my question, Phoebe."

"I missed, ok? Why do you need to make such a big deal out of it?"

"That pig was charging you, Phoebe. You know as well as I do that if it got you, you might not have enough skin and bone left in your legs to even attempt to repair them. Even I would have found you justified to shoot it."

"Wonders never cease…"

"Well, there's that and the fact that I'm miffed at the bastard…" As he said this, Cole grabbed Phoebe's shoulders and laid her in the grass before she could react. "Now…where were we?"

"It's not gonna happen, Cole," Phoebe tried, even if she didn't make any move to get away. 

"It's cold out here…" Cole pleaded playfully. "A little body heat is not a bad idea, and besides, I'm hurt. Don't I get a little comfort for that?"

"Please, Cole," Phoebe said hesitantly. "We can't do this."

"I contend that we can very much do this and were…much more than this, you were agreeing loudly a moment ago."

"I changed my mind…"

"Remember when I called you a tease?"

"Stop that!"

"I'm not holding you there, Phoebe," Cole countered.

Phoebe made a face before pressing her hand against his chest and pushing him off, but as she tried to take it away, Cole grabbed her hand and held it there. "See, now that's the kind of warmth I'm talking about."

"I thought you wanted an answer," Phoebe replied somewhat shakily, while freeing her hand slowly.

"I'd love both and not in any particular order." Cole stared into her eyes for a long moment, but he saw that she appeared determined and he finally decided to stop insisting. "Alright…if that's really what you want…"

"Yes," Phoebe trailed.

"I'll have to satisfy myself with an answer then…" Cole pursued with an exaggerated sigh. He grabbed his pants and began putting them on, but he never took his eyes off Phoebe. "So?"

"I missed on purpose," Phoebe admitted uncertainly.

"Well…I've gotta say I'm more than a little surprised."

"Because I missed or because I said I did?"

"A little of both…but let's go back to the missed on purpose part…You also missed on purpose this afternoon?"

"Yeah…yes I did."

"I wish I believed it was for my benefit, but somehow, I doubt it."

"You're right; it's got nothing to do with you. At least, not much at this point."

"I'll live with that disappointment. Then why?"

Phoebe sighed deeply before going to sit by the fire and turning her back to Cole.

"Phoebe you can't stop now."

"Look who's talking! You're the one who won't stop turning everything into a joke," Phoebe protested while still staring at the fire.

"Maybe so…although there are still topics I don't consider joke worthy. Like Sinta for example."

Phoebe cast a quick glance in his direction. "I'm sorry about that…"

"You don't have to be sorry. I guess I could've been more understanding about Abner."

"No…I mean…I can understand how you feel about my father."

"Really?" Cole questioned dubiously as he came to sit by her side.

"Things haven't been all rosy between Abner and me…"

"How's that?" 

"Last year, I made a decision that Abner found very difficult to accept."

"Would that have anything to do with what just happened," Cole questioned calmly, as it seemed a likely explanation. For all the time he had known the man, Abner was very proud that his daughter followed in his tracks. Although there were many reasons why he and his father in law didn't get along, Cole was convinced that the main one was still his beliefs. Abner must have feared that Cole would influence Phoebe. In truth, Cole tried a few times to convince her to stop hunting, but Phoebe wasn't receptive then.

"Yeah, it would…"

"What changed?"

"Do we really need to get into this? You should get some sleep… The sun will come up soon and we have another long hike today."

"Considering how many times we argued about your line of work, I'd really like to know what happened, Phoebe. Did…Philip have anything to do with it," Cole pursued tensely.

Phoebe picked up on the change in his voice. "No…it was my decision." As she gazed at him, she saw that Cole appeared visibly relieved. It was easy to understand why. He'd tried so many times to change her ways…if another had succeeded where he failed; in addition to the failure of their marriage, it would have been hard to swallow. "I can assure you, this was a personal decision."

"Go on…"

"It was progressive, but things really changed last year during a safari to hunt an elephant."

"You were hunting elephants?" Cole exclaimed with obvious outrage.

"Look, I know what you think and I don't need a lesson now. Do you wanna know or not?"

"Sorry," Cole trailed. "No more interruptions."

"And I'm the queen of England…" Phoebe retorted in an attempt at sarcasm that fell flat.

Cole opened his mouth to answer the provocation, but he closed it right back, garnering himself a vague smile from Phoebe. "As I was saying," she pursued, "We were on a safari. I took over for Abner because he had gotten hurt in the leg the week before. The client wanted a male and only had permission to pursue an older one. He had to pay an impressive amount of money for that, but he still got warned severely not to go against the authorities' decree. So, he came to us as a precaution, believing that we could help him find the right animal. However, we didn't get lucky right away." Phoebe stopped a moment as she noticed Cole's reproachful stare. She expected him to comment, but surprisingly he respected his promise to keep quiet. "The client became impatient, even after I explained to him that there weren't that many older elephants anymore; thanks to poachers. Anyway, after a few days, we met with a herd and I offered to go find out whether the right prey was among them. When I got closer, I spotted this family standing apart from the group…" 

Phoebe stopped talking and Cole got the distinct impression that she was reliving the moment. He thought he could almost see it too. Parents taking care of their young the way you'd expect humans to, but better. 

"It was so beautiful," Phoebe continued. "I was reminded how I wished to start a family of my own… Anyway," she went on quickly, knowing this was a sore point, "while I was there, Hector showed up unexpectedly."

"Hector," Cole couldn't help exclaiming.

"See, I told you…"

"I haven't heard from Hector in a couple of years…" 

"Well, that's strange, considering that as far as I know Hector's been living in Africa for at least two years. In fact, he's been a pain in Abner's butt for a lot of that time."

Cole noticed the strange look Phoebe gave him while saying so and he suddenly made the connection. "That's why you thought I had something to do with Abner's death. You believed Hector was with me…"

"I already apologized for that, didn't I?" Phoebe cut irritably.

"That wasn't exactly a reproach…In fact it's making a little more sense, although I don't see why you thought of him as a killer…A pain yes but…"

"Two hunters disappeared only a week before the safari in the same region. At the time, I didn't make the connection," Phoebe interrupted, "but after what happened to Abner…"

"I see," Cole replied curtly.

"No you don't see. You think I jumped to conclusions."

"Didn't you?"

"Do you wanna know what happened or not," Phoebe repeated impatiently.

Cole gave her a joyless smile. "Go on…"

"So, Hector came to me, asking about Abner, and as usual, running interference. That day though, I don't know…maybe I was more receptive. I…I had been having second thoughts more than once in the past few years and what happened next ended my hunting career."

Again Phoebe seemed to be lost in reminiscence and Cole waited, even though he was more curious than ever.

"The client followed me and without asking for my advice, he aimed at the isolated family and shot the mother…She was dead before she hit the ground," Phoebe recounted with what seemed sincere regrets. "Instead of running away, the male turned on us and came charging, no doubt out of fear for his calf. The client froze and I lifted my own gun, knowing that if I did nothing, we might not survive this. But then, just as I was preparing to shoot, I heard Hector urging me to just get out of the way and it sounded reasonable to me. At any rate, I couldn't shoot the elephant. I felt guilty for what my client did. Instead, I grabbed him and we all ran like hell toward a small forest nearby. The elephant nearly got us. He even knocked down a tree that almost fell on me, but he gave up at that point. My client was really pissed, claiming he'd complain to Abner. And even more so when I said I'd declare his kill to the authorities. He even threatened to destroy my reputation. Needless to say, considering his own wrongdoing, that was mostly an empty threat and I couldn't care less at that point anyway. After he left, I told Hector that I was done with the hunt…I don't know why I told him…I'm not sure he believed me then and, at any rate, he left without a word long before I rejoined the base camp." Phoebe noticed the look of surprise Cole had at this point. "I know this seems unlikely…"

"No…I was just rethinking of my nightmare and frankly, I'm psyched."

"Nightmare?"

Cole hesitated, remembering that he had the nightmare while being on watch. However, the coincidence was too overwhelming for him to keep it to himself. "Earlier, Hector was talking to me…"

"You just said you didn't see Hector…"

"I said I haven't met him. I heard his voice in my dream. But Phoebe…he told me you were doomed because you didn't keep your promise…"

"What? When?"

Cole seemed slightly ill-at-ease and Phoebe figured it out. "You fell asleep…"

"I knew you'd make a fuss about that."

"That pig could have charged us while you were sleeping."

"I'm sorry, alright?"

"Never mind," Phoebe replied with an irritated gesture. "But I don't get it…if you didn't meet him since…"

"I swear to you. I haven't seen Hector in two years. If I believed in psychic abilities, this would be a good example…but I don't," Cole pursued intensely as he looked out at the forest. 

"What are you saying?"

"I didn't tell you why I crossed the bridge earlier, did I?"

"No…" Phoebe trailed, while she began to see where he was going.

"I thought I saw something moving in the forest on the other side of the ravine. When I got there, I found nothing but…"

"You think Hector was there," Phoebe questioned incredulously. "Don't you think he would've come to you?"

"Up until this very moment, I wouldn't have doubted it."

Phoebe felt a most unpleasant stirring in her stomach. Maybe her theory wasn't so farfetched after all…

~~~~~~

It was still dark out there when Paul heard the truck engine roaring to life and he knew he had been right not to trust the policeman. He grabbed his gear and a rifle he got from Mwaka before heading for the door to the sunroom hurriedly. However, Kathy's voice stopped him. "Where are you going?"

"I'm sorry. I didn't want to wake you up."

"It's ok, but why are you leaving," Kathy asked again with an anxious edge to her voice.

"You don't have to worry about a thing. The compound will be well protected," Paul replied somewhat impatiently.

"You still haven't answered my question."

"I've got to go now." Paul curtly said as he grabbed the doorknob.

"You're going into the mountain aren't you?"

"I've got to. I need to know that Cole and the others are safe and I just can't wait here…"

"This is unreasonable Paul."

Paul hesitated as a vague smile formed on his lips. He half-turned to Kathy then. "You know, I've just noticed… I love it when you say my name. Don't forget about me." he added before heading out without waiting for an answer. 

Kathy was tempted to go after him, but it was obvious he wasn't gonna listen. She shrugged at once with annoyance and worry, but she also felt a little warmth at his last comment. "You've better come back in one piece," she uttered aloud.

Outside, Paul walked quickly towards the truck and earned himself a dirty look from Chaga. 

"Were you trying to give me the slip?"

"Bwana," Chaga replied with obvious irritation. "We don't need you to come along. I don't wanna be responsible if something happens to you."

"And you won't be. I'm a big boy and I know the risks. Besides, if you don't let me in, I'll just follow you in the jeep."

"You're a stubborn man, Bwana."

"You said it," Paul commented lightly as he climbed into the cabin. "Shall we go," he called through the passenger window.

Chaga shook his head disapprovingly but he still headed for the driver's seat. 

As soon as they were moving, Paul became serious again. As he stared ahead tensely, he said, "I hope we're not too late…"

~~~~~~

Cole tried to question Phoebe further about her astonishing revelation, but Phoebe refused to say any more about it. He thought he understood that she didn't feel like hearing his comments but even a promise not to do so didn't work. Instead, she insisted that he had to get some sleep, which Cole found rather difficult to do, but after a long while where he lay awake, wondering about Hector and Phoebe, his exhaustion got the better of him and he dozed off. He was awakened by a curt comment from Phoebe.

"It's time," she simply said. 

Cole opened his eyes and saw that the sun was coming up. All at once, he remembered their conversation and the strange nightmare with renewed worry. "Did you see anything?"

"Nothing at all. I've looked around but even the chimp didn't come back."

"Were you worried about her?" Cole questioned with a vague smile.

"I just thought you'd like to know."

"Right," Cole simply commented. As he surveyed their surroundings again, Cole felt the same oppression he had during the dream. "You know, just about now, I'd love to know what Faraji's coffee smells like…"

Phoebe knew he wasn't really talking about his thirst. In truth, she would have felt better if they were already with the others as well. She didn't tell Cole, but what they discussed about Hector made her nervous. All night she had worried that something might happened even if she showed confidence to Cole. She was certain he wasn't fooled, but he didn't comment. "Well, we better go find out then…" She simply replied. 

Cole stood up and grimaced at the sharp pain in his calf.

"Are you gonna be able to walk?" Phoebe questioned.

"Hey, you may think of me as a wimp, but that doesn't make me one," Cole challenged as he started ahead of her.

"Just checking…"

"I hope you can walk and talk, Phoebe, because I still have some concerns," Cole said when they were on their way.

"Why am I not surprised?"

"You gotta admit, what you said raises a few questions that are extremely relevant to the situation."

"Like what," Phoebe answered a little too fast.

"Like how are you going to shoot those tigers since you weren't even able to shoot that pig when it was coming after you?"

"That's not the same thing."

Cole turned halfway to her without stopping. "I just wonder if you got it in you anymore."

"The way you're talking, it's almost as if you're reproaching me something," Phoebe tried, even if she knew what really concerned Cole.

"Up until last night, I would never have believed you'd change, Phoebe. However, after you couldn't shoot that leopard even to save your fiancée and now this pig…It looks as if you're seeing things a lot more like I do than you used to… What if you get a doubt and you freeze when the time comes?"

"Those tigers are man-eaters. Killers… I won't hesitate."

"Are you so sure about them?"

"If you're referring to Hector and his possible participation in this mess, it doesn't change anything about the fact that the tigers are involved in my opinion. Even if he somehow brought them there and incited them, they still tasted human blood."

"Maybe it wasn't the tigers…" Cole tried again.

"You saw the tooth same as I did, Cole."

"It could have been a lion's…"

"You know that's unlikely," Phoebe said firmly. "If you're gonna fight me on this, maybe you should go back. I'll have a couple of Faraji's men go with you…"

"No way," Cole replied decisively. "I'm not leaving you." He added a little too anxiously.

"Come on, Cole. You're not exactly armed for this kind of work. I don't need you here."

"I'm not leaving and that's that." As Cole said this, he began looking around them, as if he expected something to come their way just then.

"I thought you didn't wanna come along," Phoebe questioned curiously. "What changed?"

"What's the matter? Are you changing your mind about me again, Phoebe?"

"If you mean by that, do I fear you'll turn on me…no," Phoebe replied with confidence.

"That's a relief…"

"But I don't see how helpful you could be. Unlike the natives, I don't believe you can talk those tigers down. You can't even handle a gun, Cole. You'd actually be a liability by my side."

"Now wait just a minute," Cole exclaimed. He stopped walking abruptly at this and reached for the rifle that Phoebe still held in her hands.

"Hey," she protested as he grabbed the weapon from her.

"You're not the only one who changed a few things you know," Cole offered as he aimed at a tree about a hundred feet ahead and fired a single shot toward it.

When she saw no sign of an impact, Phoebe mocked, "Oh, great shot!"

"Why don't we go have a look," Cole retorted confidently.

Phoebe shook her head with some exasperation but she still followed him to the tree. There, she found something rather surprising. The reason why there hadn't been any sign of an impact was that Cole shot through a hole in the trunk about three centimetres in diameter. Cole indicated the other side of the tree and there Phoebe found the exit hole. "Where the hell did you learn to shoot like this?"

"Took a few lessons and I found I was pretty good at it…" Cole replied with a self-satisfied smile.

"Next you'll tell me you'd like to hunt?" Phoebe teased.

"Shut your mouth," Cole said with faked outrage. 

"So… you think because you're a good shot, that makes you the perfect protector?"

"Maybe not, but still good enough to stick around... Plus, I'm hoping that if Hector is linked to this, I can talk to him," Cole replied more seriously. Again, he looked about worriedly as he handed the gun back to Phoebe.

"If you seriously believe that, I'd prefer knowing exactly what Hector said." Phoebe questioned as they started walking again.

"Nothing more than what I told you last night," Cole replied too fast. 

"Oh, oh…there was something else."

"I just said there was nothing else."

"Cole, anything he said, even the smallest detail, could give us a clue to his intentions."

"It was nothing…"

"Tell me and I'll decide whether it's important."

"Oh alright…he implied that I could be saved if I left you. There…" Cole answered without looking at her.

Phoebe opened her mouth to comment but she stopped when she heard someone calling loudly.

"Is everything alright, Bi Mkubwa?" Faraji's voice was coming from a short distance.

"Here, Faraji. We're fine," Phoebe shouted as they headed towards the bearer.

They found him and four of his men after only a few more minutes of walking.

"Glad to see you're ok," Faraji uttered with a relieved expression. "When I heard the shots…"

"It was nothing. Just Cole showing off," Phoebe replied, thinking that Faraji referred to the last shooting.

"There was that and the ones I heard a few hours ago. Did you fire those shots?" He questioned with a strange expression that puzzled Phoebe.

"Yeah, that was me. It was just a bush pig who took our camp for the highway." Phoebe noticed the change in her bearer's expression and she suddenly realized he was looking at Cole's leg.

This one answered the silent question. "Don't worry about this. My leg had an unfortunate meeting with the pig's tusk."

"Maybe you should go down," Faraji offered. Behind him, he heard whisperings that told him his proposition was met with serious reticence from his men.

"Nah… Phoebe here took great care of me," Cole replied with an obvious double meaning. 

Phoebe glared at him quickly before turning back toward the bearer. "Did you see anything out of the ordinary, Faraji?" She uttered to cover her slight embarrassment.

If the native understood the underlying meaning to the exchange, he didn't show it. "Nothing except those shots…"

He had barely finished saying this when, as if in response to his comment, a gunshot exploded in the distance, and then another and another.


	9. Second Sight Chapter 8

** Chapter VIII**

**P**aul had just gotten out of the truck when he heard the gun shots. He turned to Chaga with a worried expression. "Do you think they found the tigers? Or…"

"Let's not go into the "or" just yet," Chaga replied. He tried to keep his own worries to himself. It was obvious that the millionaire was on edge and Chaga saw no good coming from him showing his fear at this point. "Did you ever climb from this side of the mountain," he asked calmly instead.

"Not from here, no…Why do you think they traveled this far? Did the natives say?"

"Apparently, Ms Halliwell had something to investigate. They didn't really explain what that was and it wasn't my priority at the time anyway. As for finding them, we've got our work cut out for us. I've been up there a few times myself, but there are a number of trails. Hopefully, their tracks won't be too hard to follow." Chaga turned toward the man who led them there. "You're sure that's the place?"

"Yes, Bwana. We hiked for three hours before getting separated from the Bi and the Mganga…"

"What?" Paul exclaimed, as it was the first he heard of it.

"I'm sorry," Chaga apologized, "I didn't think you needed to worry any more than necessary."

"You're saying that Cole and Phoebe might be alone, possibly facing vicious killers at this very moment and you didn't think I should know about it?" Paul shouted angrily.

"Calm down, Bwana," Chaga uttered severely, "You'll be no use to your friends if I have you shackled and leave you behind."

"What?"

"I don't need a hot head on this expedition. We don't know what's ahead and I intend to lead without having someone questioning my orders." Chaga stared straight at Paul and this one didn't doubt for a moment that the policeman would make good on his threat.

"You're the boss," Paul agreed reluctantly, "but I'd appreciate it if you didn't keep anything from me again. Let's go now."

"Is this the way you intend to behave?" Chaga questioned pointedly.

Paul shrugged irritably but he didn't reply to this. 

"Let's go," Chaga announced almost immediately to Paul's visible annoyance. However, he still didn't comment, concentrating only on one thing as he headed up the mountain with Chaga and his men: the safe return of his friend.

~~~~~~~

Upon hearing the gun shots, Cole and the others didn't even need to exchange a word before they started back toward the crossing. However, Cole fell quickly behind, as he was more bothered by his wound than he let out. Phoebe was so worried about what happened to Faraji's men that she didn't notice at first. Then, when she looked back and didn't see Cole, she urged Faraji to go on while she made sure Cole was still following them.

"Wait Bi Mkubwa. We just found you…"

"I won't be long. Cole must be slowed by his wound. It's important that you hurry. We'll be right behind you. And Faraji," Phoebe added in a low voice, "be prepared for anything…" 

The native gave her an uncertain gaze but he nodded in the affirmative without a word and then, he and his men resumed their rapid walk as Phoebe turned around.

~~~~~~

Cole saw the group distancing him, but he figured he'd catch up with them eventually. They were worried about their companions, and Cole couldn't ask them to wait for him. Then, as soon as he lost sight of them, something else caught his attention. It had been a fleeting movement to his right, and as much as he tried to, he couldn't make out what was there. Curious, Cole left the trail and he entered the underbrush cautiously. Suddenly, something jumped on his back and he lost his balance, falling heavily to the ground. At first, he panicked, fully expecting to get mauled until he heard the screeching voice of a chimp. He turned toward the animal and soon recognized Cindy. "Hey, is that the way to say good morning," he reproached mildly. 

"Hello Cole," came a deep voice from behind him.

"Hector," Cole trailed as he turned slowly toward his mentor. "I hoped I was wrong…"

"You don't seem happy to see me," Hector replied very seriously. 

Cole's mentor was a short man of about fifty-five. He had dark hair salted with grey in places and, at the moment, he sported a stubble of beard, also greying. His clothes had seen better days, not to mention the fact that they were dirty, as if he hadn't changed out of them for days, maybe even weeks. In spite of his unkempt appearance however, there was no mistaking the man Cole used to know as his teacher and then as a friend. Hector wasn't handsome by any definition, but his piercing blue eyes and strong features usually got him noticed in a crowd. Cole noted absently that he had lost a lot of weight since the last time he saw the man, but right then, it wasn't really Hector's appearance that mattered to him. "I must say…the circumstances are less than pleasant. Did you come to me last night?"

"Obviously, you're just as stubborn as you used to be since you're still here," Hector commented in guise of response. "That is unless you've finally decided to be more reasonable?"

"What are you doing, Hector," Cole asked as he stood up warily. "What's the matter with you threatening my wife?"

"Ex-wife…isn't she? Or maybe you forgot?"

"Don't play games, Hector. Tell me that it was just some stupid joke…"

"When have you known me to joke about animals getting killed?"

"People are getting killed right now. Tell me you're not a part of this, Hector."

"Cole, I don't want you to get hurt…but if you persist in staying with that woman, I won't be able to prevent it."

"Prevent what?" Cole questioned impatiently. "What's going on, Hector? Does it have to do with my tigers?"

Behind him, Cindy became agitated before Cole could get an answer and he glanced back, wondering if someone else was there. Then he heard Phoebe's voice calling to him but before he could reply to her, Hector hit him hard with the butt of a revolver and Cole fell back to the ground, unconscious.

"Cole, where the hell are you," Phoebe called impatiently. She expected to find Cole quickly, but he was nowhere on the trail. She went almost all the way to the clearing before coming back on her steps. She was becoming more and more desperate when suddenly, the chimp jumped in front of her, screeching madly. "Hey…you wouldn't have seen Cole by any chance," Phoebe questioned, although she felt somewhat ridiculous. For the life of her, she never understood how Cole could talk to those animals as if he expected an answer and she sometimes wondered if he could hear something no one else could. Right then, the chimp reentered the brush, and then she came back out when Phoebe didn't follow her.

"Alright…maybe there's something to this," Phoebe uttered hesitantly while she entered the brush behind the chimp. She nearly tripped over Cole's form sprawled less than ten feet from the trail and for a second, her heart sunk as she feared that he was dead. "Cole!" she exclaimed anxiously. To her immense relief, Cole stirred at her voice and she bent toward him hastily. "Cole, wake up!"

Cole opened his eyes reluctantly. The throbbing in the back of his head was a painful reminder of his encounter. "Hector," he uttered hoarsely as he allowed Phoebe to help him up.

"Where?" Phoebe questioned nervously as she looked around but saw no one.

"He was right here. He… The son of a bitch hit me," Cole suddenly said louder. He palpated the lump on the back of his head with a grimace of pain. "Boy, he nearly cracked my head. Good thing it's so hard."

"Don't even joke about this," Phoebe reproached as she tried to see if he was hurt elsewhere.

"Hey…" Cole soothed when he realized how worried she had been. "It's ok…I'll live."

"Damn it," Phoebe almost shouted. "You scared me!"

In spite of their precarious situation, Cole couldn't help a big smile. "You were worried about me?"

"Yes you dope!" Then, when Phoebe understood what he was thinking, she added, "the same way I'd worry about any member of my team getting hurt or lost."

"Right," Cole said as his smile waned considerably. 

"What's that about Hector?" Phoebe questioned.

"This time, I know he was here. He also repeated his warning."

"Did he say anything more?"

"Nothing… He just told me that he wouldn't be able to prevent something…I never got to the part where he told me what that something was; although, his warning combined with the gunshots tell me that it's not gonna be pretty… Anyway, after that, I heard you calling to me and then I saw a thousand stars…"

Phoebe palpated the lump in turn, still apparently worried. "Maybe you should listen to him and leave…"

"What? No way! I'm not leaving you!"

"Come on, Cole. We've only been on this mountain for one day and you got hurt twice already."

"Now that's not really fair Phoebe. Last night was…"

"I don't want you to get hurt anymore. You weren't supposed to be here."

"Well I am and I'm not going back!" Cole exclaimed as he started toward the trail. He knew it wasn't an appropriate response but he felt dizzy and he didn't want Phoebe to see that. She already thought he couldn't cut it as it was.

Cindy jumped in his arms then, nearly throwing him off balance again. "Hey, girl! I hope Hector didn't scare you too much." Cole exclaimed as he steadied himself.

"I don't know how long I'd have been looking for you without this little one," Phoebe told him while coming closer.

Cole began petting the chimp gently. "Well now, you're my hero, little one," he told her softly. The chimp responded by giving him an awkward kiss on the cheek. "I was right about you. You're a cuddly little thing," Cole added with a smile. He then put the chimp down and gave her a gentle pat on the back. "Come on now. You've got to go back to your family. You're not safe with us, my sweet. Come on, go on," he encouraged the chimp as she seemed reluctant to leave. "I promise I'll visit as soon as we're done with this unpleasant business."

Phoebe watched them with a strange sentiment of jealousy. It wasn't so much that Cindy got Cole's attention, but mostly that she remembered he used to be this sweet to her. After the chimp left, Phoebe commented on it out loud. "Where was that Cole hiding?"

"What are you talking about," Cole replied even though he thought he knew what she meant. 

"I mean the man who cried when I agreed to marry him…"

"I wasn't crying; I had allergies," Cole protested immediately as he started walking away.

"I remember what you said…I still don't believe it…"

"Are you coming," Cole called to her, sidestepping the comment altogether.

"Yeah," Phoebe sighed. Then she suddenly remembered the gunshots and she set her reminiscence aside. "Actually we've got to hurry. Are you sure you can keep up." She asked as she walked passed Cole.

"Watch me," Cole challenged, although the pain in his leg was still bothering him, along with the dizziness and the dull headache he was now experiencing. Nonetheless, he pushed on, doing his best to cover up his discomfort for Phoebe's benefit. If she noticed anything, she didn't say. Cole couldn't be certain if that was because she was angry with his denial or rather because she didn't want to make him feel bad about holding her back this long. Regardless, right then, he wished he'd simply admitted to the truth, although he wasn't certain why. 

Cole remembered the day he asked her to marry him like it was yesterday. They barely knew each other then, but already, Cole was certain he'd love Phoebe forever. However, he couldn't be certain that she was as much in love with him as he was with her. He didn't really know how to ask her this, so he chose the most obvious manner. They were both bathing in the aura of lovemaking one night, and apparently on a whim, Cole turned to Phoebe and he asked her to marry him. In truth, he had been working up the courage to risk it for that whole evening, but given Phoebe's first reaction of surprise, he doubted if she suspected. When she had not given him an answer right away, Cole worried that she would reject him. Even now, he remembered how relieved and infinitely happy she made him when she said yes at last. That was when Phoebe noticed the tears of joy in his eyes, but Cole feared that she would think him a lesser man for these and he invented the excuse of an allergy. He never knew for sure whether he had fooled her until now. "Phoebe," he called hesitantly.

"What," she asked without stopping.

"Never mind," Cole replied quickly as he remembered bitterly about Philip and how Phoebe rejected him the previous night. "Let's get there."

~~~~~~~

After a short trek, Faraji and his men came upon the most disturbing spectacle. Faraji half-expected this, but his men took several steps back in fear at the sight of their companions. These were attacked in the middle of the trail and from the look of them, they were all dead. Faraji felt bile burning his throat. There was blood everywhere, tainting the dirt and the green vegetation on each side of the trail. Instinctively, all of them armed their weapons and began looking around fearfully. "What could have done this," one of Faraji's men questioned as he found the courage to approach Hiji's body. It was the very one who had protested against them getting separated. Now, it was hard to even recognize him, since there were two long cuts running from his left cheek and down his throat which were oozing with blood. Hiji was still holding his gun, his fingers clutched on the trigger. His eyes were wide open and filled with terror even in death.

"I've got to believe the tigers surprised them," Faraji uttered hesitantly. Even he couldn't understand how this came to be in spite of his reasonable answer. Since they left Abner's base camp, Faraji fought the urge to consider a supernatural possibility and so far, he had managed to. However, in the face of such a horrible massacre, one in broad daylight, the leader of the bearers wasn't so certain of his logic anymore. 

"What should we do," another of his men asked in a trembling voice. Whatever Faraji's thoughts were about what happened, he didn't doubt for a moment that his men already jumped to the supernatural conclusion. However strong the temptation was to do the same and run away from such magic, Faraji made an effort to fight his urges again. "Let's search for survivors," he ordered as firmly as he could when he realized that two men were missing. "Maybe they went after the beasts," he offered when the others stared at him uncertainly.

None of his men seemed to have much faith in the survival of their lost companions, but they didn't contradict Faraji openly. Before they went to look for the missing men, Faraji decided to check the bodies for any sign of life and he bent toward each of the victims only to confirm that there was nothing left to do for them. When he had ascertained this, Faraji left two men behind to warn Phoebe while he and two others went to locate the missing men. They only went for five more minutes before they came upon the ravine. The crossing was a few minutes higher up the trail, but Faraji got the sudden urge to look over the edge. At first, he didn't see anything in the water, which was significantly quieter than it had been under the bridge, with the exception of a strange dark spot near the bank. Then, he realized with a start that this was a body lying in the shallow waters. As he bent further over the edge, he saw another body on the slope that descended into the river. As he looked up he was stunned to spot two more bodies on the other bank. When comparing this drop point to the one used to discard Abner's party, it seemed likely that they were faced with the same attackers. As he was puzzling over this, Faraji got a sudden and terrifying revelation. He then stood up abruptly, signalling nervously to his companions before heading back toward the site of the massacre in a hurry.

~~~~~~~

For the past few minutes, Phoebe felt an oppressive sense of urgency and she was already almost running by the time she heard more gunshots. These were followed by exclamations of fear and then even more gunshots. Cole, who had found it difficult to keep up so far, found a second wind and he started running behind Phoebe. When they arrived where Faraji discovered his dead team members, Faraji himself was staring at the woods with his gun at the ready. Three men were left with him. The fourth now laid among the other bodies, and both Cole and Phoebe immediately understood the scale of the tragedy.

"Faraji," Phoebe called in a shaky voice. "What happened?"

"I saw it, Bi Mkubwa. It was white furred and running like the wind. I shot at it but I only hit air. It was too fast," Faraji explained in a breathless voice. 

Phoebe became even more ill at ease when she heard the abject fear in her bearer's voice. It was the first time she saw him in such a state of disarray. In spite of the distance between them and the natives, she saw that they were all actually trembling. "What did you see exactly," she asked curtly, trying to get a rational answer out of Faraji.

The man turned wide frightened eyes toward her. "I don't know, Bi Mkubwa…I don't know…"

~~~~~~~~

When they heard the second series of shots, Paul became frantic, imagining the worst considering Chaga's theory about the revolutionaries. He knew that there could be a much more reassuring explanation for those shots; like maybe the hunting party was simply finishing the job they came to do. Yet, he couldn't help worrying. On the way up, he was so unnerved that he tried to question the man who indicated where Cole and the others started their ascent. He hoped Issa could give him a clue as to what they were really up against. That's when he got more disturbing information. It seemed that after they made their own macabre discovery, Philip told Issa about Abner's base camp. This one reluctantly recounted for Paul what Philip told him of the massacre of an entire hunting party. When Paul wondered why he didn't mention this before, Issa answered that no one asked him. Paul got the distinct impression that the native simply wasn't too keen on talking about it. He probably feared some kind of mythical retaliation. 

For his part, Paul increasingly adhered to Chaga's theory, but that only made his anxiety go through the roof. It was one thing to face even the most vicious beast; it was a whole another thing to face determined revolutionaries, armed and obviously without any scruples. The same as Cole, Paul believed that there weren't more vicious and dangerous predators than humans. It sufficed to see some of humanity's less than stellar doings through the ages and the decimation of the animal kingdom for the glory of man to know that. It was never made more acute for Paul than at this very moment. 

Chaga had taken the lead early on and Paul hurried toward him. "How much longer," he questioned upon reaching the policeman.

"It's hard to tell Bwana. It depends on how far up they got."

"Those shots didn't seem to come from very far away…"

"Don't be fooled by the apparent proximity. In these parts; particularly the mountain, gunshots can be heard over great distances. I don't count on finding the hunting party for another few hours."

"This is gonna take much too long," Paul uttered anxiously. "They could have died ten times while we're getting there."

"Or maybe they will meet with us on their way back. There's no use getting all worked up until we know what's going on, Bwana. I assure you, we're going as fast as we can."

While he was there, and seeing that maybe Chaga wasn't really aware of the gravity of the situation, Paul told him about Issa's revelations. If it had an effect on the policeman, this one didn't show it and Paul worried that the man didn't understand the implications. 

In truth, this only confirmed that they might be facing an even bigger challenge than simply saving a hunting party for Chaga. If those revolutionaries chose this place to hide, they wouldn't stop at hiding and they would cause long lasting damages to the region. However, he knew that Paul wasn't really interested in the long term repercussions and Chaga could understand the millionaire's point of view at the moment. He wished he could alleviate his fears, but he was convinced that if he became emotional, it would only worsen things for Paul. "We'll do all we can, Bwana." He assured Paul, even if Chaga knew that the man wanted much more from him. 

"Let's hope it's enough," Paul answered darkly.

~~~~~~~

After the first shock wore off somewhat, Phoebe, Faraji and one more of the natives left alive, scouted the surroundings for any sign of danger; although considering that neither Abner's party, nor her own men could save themselves, Phoebe began to wonder what could really be done to insure their safety. As she feared, they found next to nothing to even indicate who or what attacked her men. The only tracks they found were so strange that Phoebe believed someone walked in them before she got there. When she questioned her companions, they both denied doing it however.

They finally went back toward the trail and found Cole and the rest of the men busy piling rocks over the bodies. They had discussed the best way to deal with those and decided that the remains should be kept out of the reach of scavengers until they could be recovered and returned to their villages and families. 

Earlier, when Cole had first approached the dead natives, he seemed utterly shocked and Phoebe wondered if that wouldn't be too much for him. Then, he had bent toward one of them and grabbed his rifle and ammunition, decisively arming the weapon. Phoebe worried about this. When she came closer, she was surprised by the coldness in his eyes.

"Cole…Are you ok?" Phoebe questioned.

"Whoever or whatever did this has to be put down." Cole uttered flatly.

The lack of emotion in his voice scared Phoebe more than any outburst. "Cole…you can't just go and shoot at anything that moves…you do know that don't you?"

"Don't worry. I know exactly who the monster is…" Cole replied evenly before heading for the next body without waiting for a response. 

Phoebe was tempted to talk about this right away, but she figured it was better to wait until they had dealt with the immediate danger. During their absence, Cole and the others also hauled out the bodies that were thrown in the ravine. Two of those were complete strangers to Phoebe, but Faraji recognized them, now that he could see them up close. 

"Those two were partners of the man who was found dead a week ago. I guess they went after the tigers and were…" Faraji didn't finish the sentence. He was still under the stress of his own loss and if the death of two poachers shouldn't have been exactly a sad thing for him, the fact that they had fallen to the same attackers as his companions was enough to make him feel for them.

"From the look of them, I'd say they met with the same fate, yes," Phoebe finished soberly.

After saying this, Phoebe returned her attention toward Cole and was more than a little disturbed to see that he was carrying the rifle in a holster on his back. She tried to have the conversation she put off earlier, but Cole all but ignored her as he pursued the grim task of burying their dead. 

The whole process took considerable time and they weren't done until well into the afternoon. By then, Phoebe believed it might be better to give a rest to her team for the reminder of the day, although they decided to put some distance between them and the graves. If it hadn't been for the fact that the sight was a painful reminder, there was also the stench which could bring about dangerous predators and scavengers. Neither Phoebe, nor the others felt like adding to their jeopardy by staying there. Thus they hiked for another hour before setting up camp. All the while, Cole didn't utter a single word. It wasn't until Phoebe came to offer him a cup of coffee later that evening before he spoke up.

"Well…now I know how it smells…" Cole simply said without even a hint of humor.

"Cole," Phoebe tried calmly as she sat beside him on one of the logs they brought near the fire. 

"Don't," Cole replied curtly.

"Don't what?"

"I don't wanna talk about this…"

"You don't even know what I wanna talk about."

"Whatever it is, I don't wanna talk about it."

"Cole I don't like to see you like this."

"Like what?"

"It's not like you to stay this angry…"

Cole turned to Phoebe then, and she thought she saw sadness rather than the coldness of this afternoon. "I'm beyond angry, Phoebe. Most of all, I'm scared…" He said as he returned his gaze to the fire.

"We're all scared, Cole. There's no shame in that."

"I'm not scared of what's gonna happen. At least…not just that."

"What then?" 

Cole glanced back quickly at her, and Phoebe knew from the look in his eyes that something was eating at him. "What is it," she asked again, but in a softer voice.

"Hector…how did he get to this?"

"We're not even certain that he did… He wasn't around when…well we know he was with you shortly after so…"

"He was involved, Phoebe. I no longer have any doubt. The only thing I can't be sure of is how much…"

"You're probably right. And no one can blame you for feeling fear after what we saw…"

"That's not what I'm trying to say, Phoebe. I meant…what made him do it?"

"There could be many reasons…"

"Like his obsession with animal rights? His radical methods…?"

"That's certainly a part of it…"

"What does that make me?"

"What?" Phoebe exclaimed.

"Am I gonna become another Hector?"

"No! Of course not…"

"How can you be so sure? I've known Hector for years. Just like me, he preferred the company of animals to people. Just like me, he feels that they are treated badly by humans. Just like me…" Cole stopped and again, he glanced at Phoebe almost pleadingly. "Just like me, he couldn't keep a relationship that mattered to him just because of his obsession."

"Cole, there's no comparison."

"Isn't there? Today when I saw the bodies out there, I felt rage like never before in my life. I had never felt such hatred for anyone, let alone a friend…What if I have it in me to become like him?"

"Are you still this angry?"

"I'm angry but not as much…"

"There's the difference Cole. Anybody would have gotten angry and felt betrayed by what happened. It's how you react afterward that makes the difference."

"How do you know he didn't start out more reasonable?"

"I remember Hector, Cole. I remember how bruised he already was when you introduced me to him. I don't think that his wife left him only because of his choices…I'm convinced that she left him because he had lost himself in them. You were never like that."

"What if…"

Phoebe pulled his face toward her with light fingers. "No…you may not be perfect, but you've got too much heart to lose sight of what's right."

The touch of her fingers on his skin was like a balm on his worries. For a moment, he wasn't even thinking of the danger that lurked about anymore. In that instant, he let himself imagine this could last, but as soon as Phoebe removed her hand, all the doubts came back flooding. "It's strange," he still said with a timid smile. "For the past couple of days, I've treated you like dirt and here you're telling me you don't think I'm so bad after all…"

"Don't believe I've forgiven you for that," Phoebe teased. "But I know you better than you think. Under this macho façade, there's a really sweet man hiding. And if I didn't believe that," Phoebe added quickly when she saw Cole about to protest, "I'd probably have kicked your balls back to the compound a long time ago."

"Ouch…although, even that sounded exciting…I must really be sick…" Cole quipped.

"Cole…" Phoebe warned half-heartedly.

"Sorry. Old habits die hard…and in my case, they probably never will."

"You must be feeling better if you're back to this nonsense…"

"For now maybe," Cole replied more seriously. "But what about the future?"

"Let's make a deal. If you start acting all criminal like, I'll be there to kick you back into your charmingly crazy self…"

"Wouldn't you have to stick around for that?" Cole questioned lightly.

Then, both of them realized almost at the same time the implication to what Cole said and a charged silence fell between them. For a moment, Cole was tempted to ask her to stay with him seriously, but then he saw the look of discomfort she harboured and he refrained from it. Instead, he broke the silence by teasing her, "You think I'm charming?"

Phoebe sensed that he had been hoping for something more, but she wasn't certain that she could ever give him that. Not even as tempted as she was right then. "Don't forget the crazy part in there…"

"Isn't being a little crazy part of my charm?"

Phoebe was trying to find a retort to that when a sharp sound coming from the nearby forest caught both their attention. "What was that," she whispered tensely.

Cole didn't answer right away, as he listened for any other indication. He had almost convinced himself that it was nothing when he saw the branches of a tree bouncing as if something had jumped on them and then left in a hurry. "I don't know but…" he trailed as he stood up. Then, the tree branches jerked again. "Wait," he said with relief. "That must be Cindy again. I guess she likes our company too much."

"Are you sure? I'd think she would've shown up by now. She didn't seem shy."

"With only the both of us, maybe…but here there are many other people." Without wait, Cole called to the chimp, "Cindy? Is that you?"

The branches shook again in response and Cole was increasingly convinced he was right. "I'll go get her," he said as he took a step forward, but he was stopped by Phoebe's firm hand on his arm. 

"Wait. Let me get my gun."

"You're gonna scare the poor thing," Cole reproached.

"What if it's not her?" Phoebe announced tensely.

"Alright…" Cole relented.

Phoebe grabbed her gun from the holster on her back and swiftly armed it. "Let's go… slowly."

Cole gave her a slightly exasperated glance but he did as she told him. 

Faraji was one of two men guarding the camp at the moment and he noticed Cole and Phoebe walking toward the woods with renewed worry. "Bi?" He called to Phoebe as he headed in their direction. 

For all answer, Phoebe gestured for him to keep quiet and Faraji did so while becoming even more anxious. 

Cole glanced once again at Phoebe before calling to the Chimp gently. "Come on out Cindy. We're all friends here…"

Nothing happened however and Cole moved closer, spreading the branches apart cautiously. He could almost feel Phoebe's quickening breath on his back, so close behind him she stood. Then as he brushed another branch aside, he jumped as if he'd been struck. Without hesitation, Phoebe pushed him out of the way, and she aimed the gun at the tree. However, she soon understood Cole's reaction because she had a similar one. Instead of the chimp they had expected to see, they found one of the bearers they just buried hanging from a thick branch. "Oh my god!"

Instinctively, Phoebe moved back hurriedly, dragging Cole by his arm as he seemed petrified. "What the hell," he trailed tensely. 

Phoebe stopped and began peering at the surroundings. "Whatever did this was here a moment ago. Faraji," she called to her bearer as calmly as she could under the circumstances. "Everyone grab their weapons and keep their eyes open…"

As she said so, Cole seemed to come out of his trance and he grabbed the rifle from his own holster. He tried his best to remain calm as they all stepped away from the woods slowly, but he couldn't help the slight tremor in his hands. 

"It's gonna be alright," Phoebe said as she noticed it.

"I'm the one who's supposed to say that," Cole protested mildly.

"Now is not the time for macho stuff…"

"I'm not so sure about that," Cole tried to joke, although it came out too tensely. "Right about now," he still pursued, "I wouldn't mind feeling like Rambo."

"Rambo was an ass," Phoebe replied while still staring at the woods and walking backward toward the campfire. 

By then, and long before Faraji told them anything, every man present was on alert. None of them had been able to find rest at any rate and they all noticed the commotion.

Phoebe saw how scared they looked and she could understand it, but she needed them to be sharp at this point. "Everyone remains calm," she uttered firmly and with as much confidence as she could muster, she pursued, "we'll get through this if you all keep your wits about yourself. Form a circle and watch for any movement that seems even remotely out of place."

The men only hesitated a moment, but when they saw that the woman among them seemed to show so much courage, none of them dared showing any less, at least in appearance.

While they spread around the camp fire, Cole approached Phoebe. "Phoebe…" he uttered hesitantly.

"You should take your place…" Phoebe said while still watching the woods.

"Wait…I've got to say this just in case…"

"You don't have to say anything," Phoebe whispered uncertainly as she gave him a quick glance.

"Since we might not make it out of this alive, I want you to know I still love you," Cole said quickly before moving away without waiting for her reaction. 

"Oh shit," Phoebe uttered under her breath as she dared another quick glance at Cole. However, he wasn't looking at her, rather watching the perimeter as she instructed and there was no way for her to know if he said it sincerely or just because he believed he should at this point. Either way, she didn't know what to think. By then, she couldn't tell whether her heart was racing from this spontaneous statement or from the fear. Probably both, she admitted to herself as she tried to make sense of her own feelings. For the next hour, she was torn between this inner turmoil and the intense fear of the imminent attack. At long last however, she began feeling cramps in her arms and nothing was coming their way. In fact, the jungle sounded normal, not in the least agitated or too silent. "What are they waiting for," she grumbled, mostly to herself, but the others were so on edge that they also showed their anxiety openly, as her words had freed them from their forced impassibility. 

"I believe they're toying with us," Cole replied at last.

"They're animals…" Phoebe tried hesitantly.

"Hector isn't…and I think he's not alone."

"Why not just kill us all right now?"

Cole pinched his lips with what seemed a repeat of his earlier fears in his expression. "Hector and I often discussed the problem with…hunters and poachers versus the hunted. It's well known that man is the ultimate predator, destroying everything to make room for himself, and mostly, preying on all species, including his own. More than once, Hector suggested that the only way to open the eyes of the human race would be for them to be faced with a predator stronger than they are. Faster and for all intent and purposes, superior to the humans, just like we think of ourselves in regard to all the animals besides ourselves on this earth."

"What are you trying to say?" Phoebe questioned uneasily. 

"What if he found such a species?"

"It's impossible. Nowadays, there are very few animals which have not been catalogued and classified, short of microorganisms."

"That's not true. Every so often, some new species are discovered, either at the bottom of the sea or in some remote areas. I'll admit, rare are larger ones among those, but what if one had been overlooked? Or spontaneously emerged? Africa is vast and there are still large portions of it which are uninhabited."

"Satellites cover most of those regions," Phoebe protested further. "No…What we're facing is most likely what I feared since I saw Abner's camp."

Behind her, a few of the natives whispered among themselves and she remembered that she had not told them about the first apparent massacre. However, considering what they had seen this very day, the secrecy had become useless.

"Hector somehow controls the tigers…"

"Tigers are not that fast, Phoebe. At least, not the way Faraji described it…"

Phoebe glanced at Faraji quickly. "No offence, Faraji, but maybe it was the stress of the moment. Or…" Phoebe suddenly added. 

"Or what?"

"Maybe the victims were drugged somehow…"

"I assure you, Bi Mkubwa. I didn't take any drug…" Faraji protested.

"Perhaps without your knowledge…"

Cole turned toward her with a spark of interest in his eyes. "Airborne?"

"Possibly…"

"Do you feel any different now?"

"No…but isn't it possible that this only affects perception and reflexes without causing any other obvious side effects?"

"I don't know of a drug like that…but then again," Cole pursued intensely, "Hector used to work for a drug company that performed advanced experiments. Some of them well beyond the scope of the average pharmaceutical company."

"How so?" 

"He told me they were working for the military."

"Are you saying we might be getting drugged right now?" Faraji questioned anxiously.

Phoebe suddenly worried that the intense fatigue she felt might be induced rather than being the normal result of all this stress. Instinctively, she tightened her hold on the gun and she caught herself holding her breath for a few seconds.

Even as they all began to fear that nothing they did could prevent the worst, they heard a commotion and all of them aimed their guns toward the sound fearfully. Just then, a growl came from another direction, soon followed by a loud crashing noise and it became obvious that they were now surrounded…


	10. Second Sight Chapter 9

** Chapter IX**

**C**ole glanced back and forth nervously, wondering where the attack would come from. They could still hear the sound of something noisily trampling the vegetation in front of them, but the growling had stopped behind them and somehow, Cole thought this was even scarier. He was clutching the gun in his hands, knowing that he might have to use it; but in spite of their jeopardy, the weapon made him sick. As the attackers seemed to be closing in, Cole gazed intently at Phoebe, who was too concentrated on the threat to notice, and then, he dropped the gun, walking decisively toward the woods where the growling had been heard. It was only when he spoke up and was within a few feet of the trees that Phoebe saw what he was doing with consternation.

"Hector," Cole called imperatively. "Get out here. Show yourself. I just wanna talk!"

"Cole, for God's sake, get back here," Phoebe called nervously. She aimed the gun at the woods in front of him. "Cole," She tried louder. 

"I've gotta try, Phoebe." Cole simply answered before turning his attention to the forest anew. "Hector, I know you can hear me. This has got to stop, Hector!"

Cole got no answer but he thought he saw something moving through the lower branches of the nearest tree. "Hector, is that you? Come on out," Cole repeated in a slightly calmer voice as he took a few steps forward.

"Cole stop!" Phoebe exclaimed, as she started cautiously toward him.

"He's here," Cole assured her. 

Before Phoebe could say anything to dissuade him, Cole took another step and was suddenly grabbed by his legs and dragged inside the woods. He only had time for a grunt of intense surprise, the attack had been so fast and Phoebe didn't even get a glimpse of what caught him. Without hesitation, she ran towards the forest in turn, but before she could go in, a white tiger came crashing into her and they both rolled on the ground. The animal didn't even try to maul her before it got back up and ran away, reentering the woods in a different direction. Phoebe was too stunned to aim at it fast enough, and at any rate, her first thought went to Cole and what the beast did to him. She got up hurriedly, forgetting about safety and she ran into the woods. Her face got scratched by branches along the way but she didn't feel them. She was already cursing herself for not having a torch when she heard a groan coming from her left.

"Cole?"

"Here," Cole answered weakly. "I'm alright," he added a little louder. 

Phoebe followed his voice and found him already walking toward her. "Hurry," Phoebe urged as she grabbed his arm and pulled him toward the camp. 

Cole let out an a grunt of pain, only then realizing that his right shoulder got hurt during the attack. In fact, he had no recollection of being hit or bitten, so fast it happened. One moment, he was being dragged at an incredible speed, blinded to his attacker by the vegetation and the surrounding darkness, and the next, he found himself free, although completely disoriented. He thought he heard someone barking a sharp "No!" just before the animal let go, but he couldn't be certain whether it was someone from the camp or Hector himself. At least, Cole thought it was an animal, but he was convinced that he wasn't dragged by teeth, but rather by hands, which only added to his confusion. 

Meanwhile, Phoebe ignored his complaint, as she was more worried about getting back to the others at the moment. It was only when they emerged at the small clearing they had chosen to spend the night in that she saw the blood on Cole's shirt and became concerned. However, something else caught both their attention at that point. When Phoebe ran into the woods, there were only Faraji and his men in the camp. She had even forgotten about the other threat. Now however, there were many more men and she recognized Cole's friend among them with surprise. While most of the new arrivals spread around the camp, all of them armed with powerful rifles and obviously well trained, Paul and another native headed toward them.

"Oh God, when we saw the bodies, we thought everyone was dead," Paul exclaimed. 

"As you can see, we're still breathing… and I must say, better than we did before. But what the hell are you doing up here," Cole replied.

"I was sure you couldn't get out of this without my help," Paul answered lightly, although he was eyeing the blood on Cole's shirt worriedly. "Looks like I was right."

"You never miss a chance to point out how important you are," Cole tried to joke in return. However, in spite of his attempt at humor, Cole grimaced in pain as he brought his hand to his shoulder and saw blood tainting his fingers as he removed it. 

"Let's get back to the fire," Phoebe uttered anxiously. 

"It's just a bloody scratch," Cole protested, knowing that she would surely mock him again if he complained about it. However, there was something rather sweet in the fact that he saw sincere worry in her eyes. "I'll be fine. I promise you won't get rid of me so easily…"

For a second, Phoebe was tempted to scold him for his foolish gesture right then and there, but she had second thoughts. Although she promised herself that she would talk to him about this later, she decided to spare Cole's pride in this instance. At any rate, she was already starting to feel a little more at ease, considering the fire power around them. What's more, whatever was there before seemed to have left and they were all accounted for. Even if that slightly puzzled her, Phoebe figured there would be time later to ponder on their unexpected stroke of luck. 

"One of my men is a medic. Let him have a look at this," Chaga offered as they headed back to the fire. 

"I could probably take care of this myself," Cole countered mildly.

"No I insist. Meanwhile, I'd like to know what happened…"

"You're not the only one," Cole replied while sitting heavily on the log. He was surprised that Phoebe didn't jump down his throat about his bold move, but at the same time, he was grateful. 

"We lost a few men," Phoebe offered painfully. "We're not sure to what…"

"Are those the ones we found in the ravine?"

"What?" Cole questioned with obvious perplexity. "We buried them…"

"How many?" Chaga questioned pointedly.

"Seven…well now make that six," Cole suddenly added as he remembered the corpse hanging from the tree. "The seventh one is there," he said, indicating the spot where they found the body earlier. 

"We did count six bodies there and they were definitely in the ravine. We didn't really go down to see who they were, and that even if your friend here was almost ready to jump down when we found them," Chaga added, indicating Paul.

This puzzled and worried Cole greatly, but before he could comment on it, one of the men who just arrived came closer and helped him take off his shirt before tending to the wound in spite of Cole's reticence. Chaga took this opportunity to go see the body for himself with Phoebe. However, as they spread the branches to get a look at it, Phoebe was astounded to find the spot empty. The body had been removed and there was nothing to even indicate it had been there in the first place.

"Maybe it was somewhere else," Chaga offered.

"No," Phoebe answered assuredly. "The body was right there. I'm sure of it… What the hell's going on here?"

"If you can't tell me, I don't know who can…"

"Look, none of this makes sense…" Phoebe tried as they walked back. "Earlier today, five armed men died and we couldn't identify their attackers. Then, my ex-husband met briefly with a man from his past, Hector Thornbird. Cole is now convinced that he has something to do with those killings somehow."

"Thornbird hey? I think I remember his name from somewhere…By the way, my name is Chaga."

"Phoebe, here," Phoebe answered while distractedly shaking hands with the policeman. "You probably heard of Thornbird from hunters…He's a fanatic among animal right activists."

"From what I hear, so's your ex-husband…" Chaga uttered while grabbing her arm and stopping her halfway to the campfire. 

Phoebe stopped without resisting as she gave a quick glance toward Cole, noticing that his shoulder seemed to have been superficially punctured by claws or teeth. Although the wound wasn't life threatening, the simple thought of what might have happened gave her a chill. 

"Bi?" Chaga called to her.

"There's no comparison, officer," Phoebe replied at last. "This man…he got Cole into his movement a long time ago, but Cole put all of that behind him to take up his practice here."

"Nonetheless, your ex-husband barely got a scratch after facing this unknown attacker, while seven other men died, not to mention the previous attacks," Chaga uttered in a low voice.

Phoebe cast an angry look at the policeman. "I don't care for this insinuation, officer. Cole had nothing to do with these men's deaths."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," Phoebe replied forcefully, catching the attention of the men around the fire. However, she turned away from them and faced the policeman as she pursued more calmly. "I'll admit, I had my doubts for a little while, but I can assure you, Cole couldn't possibly be a part of this."

"Those doubts you're talking about…is that why you didn't want him on this expedition?"

"Look…," Phoebe started, obviously unnerved.

"Captain…but Chaga will do," Chaga offered.

"Look Captain," Phoebe pursued ostensibly, "there are many reasons why I might have preferred Cole to stay out of this, and yes, those suspicions were part of it, but these were just idle suspicions, which I no longer have."

"Then why?"

Phoebe hesitated for a beat. "It's really none of your business. Suffice for you to know that you're barking up the wrong tree."

"Forgive me for insisting, Bi, but if I'm gonna protect you, I wanna be certain that the enemy is not sitting among us."

"He's not the enemy! And besides, we can protect ourselves," Phoebe boasted, suddenly annoyed at this man's presence.

"The way you protected yourselves this afternoon?" 

"How dare you?"

"I'm sorry, Bi, but really, you've gotta admit, our arrival was rather timely."

Phoebe refused to answer and rather turned her back on the policeman at this. However, she did admit to herself that without them, there might not be much of them left. At the same time, another disturbing revelation came to her and she looked pensive when she sat at the campfire with the others. The medic finished applying a bandage on Cole's shoulder before he questioned her about it. "Something wrong?"

"What's not wrong, you mean?"

"Well, yeah, but you seemed to have something on your mind…Where did you get these," Cole suddenly added with a hint of worry, as he noticed the red scratches on her cheeks. 

"It's nothing. It happened while I was running in the woods. At least it's nothing compared to the bruise I'll have on my thigh because of that tiger."

"Tiger? What tiger?" Cole immediately questioned.

"The one that came rushing at me after it let go of you."

"I don't know what got me, Phoebe, but that wasn't a tiger." Cole replied firmly.

"Come on, Cole, you were dragged through the forest; you didn't even see what got you. On the other hand, I definitely saw the tiger up close. I've got the bruise to prove it."

"And no claw marks?"

"Something spooked it. Or I don't know…anyway, it ran off before I could do anything about it."

"And you're sure it was one of the tigers," Cole insisted. 

This conversation grabbed the attention of all present at that point. The bearers had already mentioned the tiger to Chaga and Paul, but Cole's strange apparent denial was what interested them now.

"Yes I'm sure, Cole. I've seen tigers before."

"Yeah…" Cole trailed. "You've killed tigers before…I know."

Cole realized his mistake at the same time as he took in Phoebe's irate glare. "I'm sorry," he tried but Phoebe continued staring at him angrily. "Look," Cole pursued, "I'm sure you saw a tiger, but that wasn't what got me."

"What the hell else could it have been," Phoebe questioned a little too loud.

"If I knew that, I'd tell you, Phoebe. I just know those weren't teeth on my legs. Do you see any marks on my boots?"

Phoebe looked down and she had to concede that there were none. "It doesn't mean…"

"Phoebe, I'm just as confused as you are. But you've got to know, what dragged me back there was stronger than any animal I've ever seen. Not only that, but from the little I could see, it was much bigger than a tiger."

"You said you couldn't see anything," Chaga intervened.

Cole gave him an unnerved glance, mostly annoyed that anyone intruded in the discussion. "I said I couldn't see what it was exactly. I did see something though. It was tall and large. I got the feeling that even my weight wasn't enough to slow it down. And when it dropped me, it disappeared before I had time to get a better look. It wasn't going back toward the camp. It was heading deeper into the woods."

"Well, maybe it was the other tiger that I saw," Phoebe tried uncertainly. "Plus remember, we were theorizing about a drug of some kind just before this happened."

Cole sighed irritably, but at the same time, doubts started creeping into his mind as well. That still didn't explain the lack of marks on his boots, but then again, it could have been some dumb luck that the beast didn't pierce them with its teeth. Besides, there were definite bite marks on his shoulder. And that even if he couldn't remember exactly how they occurred, so quickly it all went by. "Maybe," he trailed at last, only half-convinced.

"At any rate, there's nothing we can do about it for now," Chaga interjected again. "In the morning, we'll accompany you down the mountain and back to safety. Then, I'll come back here with more men and we'll take care of whatever is doing this."

"What?" Phoebe exclaimed. "I'm not going anywhere. Those men were under my protection and they died because of me; because they came here with me. I'm not going anywhere until this thing is over," she repeated forcefully.

"You're not being reasonable, Bi Mkubwa," Chaga replied with obvious annoyance at her words. "You've got to let us take care of this."

"I said, I'm not going anywhere," Phoebe reaffirmed.

Chaga stared at her intensely for a moment, and then he shrugged. "Fine, but we'll still accompany the rest of your party off this mountain first thing in the morning. Then, if you insist, I'll let you come back with us."

"I'm staying too," Cole intervened, surprising both of them.

"No offense, Daktari, but you don't seem cut out for this and…" Chaga stopped when he noted Phoebe's glare toward him. 

However, as soon as he stopped talking, she turned to Cole, "The captain is right, Cole. You don't belong here. You're hurt and…"

"I'm staying!"

"Why?" Phoebe questioned with renewed irritation. 

"In a nutshell, something terribly wrong's going on around here. Plus my old friend went insane…First, you might need me with Hector. I still think I can talk to him and avoid more bloodshed. Secondly, I'm the most qualified here about any species living in Africa. I could be of use if only in an advisory capacity. But much more than this, I've come this far and I've got no intention of leaving until this matter is resolved. This is my preserve…well Paul's preserve, but he knows what I mean."

"Then, I'm not going either," Paul added.

"I think you're all insane," Chaga exclaimed as he looked at each of them with an expression that said he meant it.

Cole couldn't help a little smile at this. "You couldn't have put it better. But that won't change the fact that we're staying here, with or without you." Cole reaffirmed after glancing at both Phoebe and Paul. Phoebe was still tempted to protest, but Cole seemed so determined, she knew there was no point and she nodded slightly in approval. "Of course, we'd prefer with you…" Cole pursued reasonably.

"What about the rest of your party," Chaga conceded reluctantly.

"It's up to them," Phoebe answered. 

It was soon decided that all the bearers would go back except for Faraji, who insisted on remaining with them, to Chaga's utter exasperation. After some more discussion, Chaga agreed that the bearers could go back with two of his men while they pushed on. However, he tried once again to protest against their continuous presence with the expedition. "If anything happened to any of you, my government would have my head. They don't joke with American citizens getting killed around here…" 

"We'll take our own responsibility," Paul told him, "Won't we," he asked of the others.

"Yes," Phoebe confirmed for them. "If you want, we'll give it to you in writing."

Chaga was tempted to take this offer but that would have been like admitting that he couldn't protect them and his pride won over. "No…just so that you understand I'm the leader of this little expedition from now on…"

Phoebe wasn't too keen on that, but she agreed reluctantly.

"Ok," Cole started afterward. "Now that this little formality is behind us, you still haven't told me what was on your mind earlier, Phoebe."

"What?" She asked in puzzlement.

"Earlier, we got caught up with this whole staying or going thing, but before that I was asking you what was on your mind."

"Oh…it was just a little theory that I was pondering…"

"About," Chaga insisted, suddenly interested.

"You mentioned that we got lucky you came around when you did…however, we found the body almost an hour before you arrived and were expecting an attack that didn't come…"

"It didn't look like that when we found you and your men."

"Cole…well anyway," Phoebe stopped, as she was unwilling to give Chaga any ammunition against Cole. "We didn't get attacked, unlike Faraji's men, and it occurred to me that the difference might have been the fact that we were prepared for them."

"You think tigers could have foreseen you were gonna shoot them and held back?" Chaga questioned dubiously.

"We've already told you that there's more than the tigers to this thing."

"Then why warn you ahead with the body?" Chaga pursued.

"To divide us," Cole answered for Phoebe. "I mean, if Phoebe had not been firm enough with the men, some of them might have run off like the ones who left yesterday."

"And you think that whoever is behind this wanted them to do so in order to pick them off once they left?"

"It's possible. Hector may be crazy, but he's a smart man. Those creatures or whatever he's got under his control…I think he's helping them…maybe planning a strategy."

"What kind of strategy is it to dig up the bodies and throw them back into the ravine?" Chaga questioned, although he began to think that Cole might have a point.

"You know…come to think of it, this might not be so illogical after all."

"How so," Paul intervened.

"The rainy season is coming very soon. The river will rise up and most likely drag those bodies toward the Nile…"

"Erasing all traces of their passage…" Chaga approved mildly.

"But what about Abner's party or the poacher who got killed last week for that matter," Phoebe countered.

"In Abner's case, when we were in the trench I noticed that the soil was wet…I would bet that during the rainy season, it becomes a rivulet…possibly big enough to flush the remains. As far as the poacher is concerned, I've got no answer except maybe they were interrupted and didn't have time to hide him."

"It's true that the other victims I told you about were never found," Phoebe trailed.

"Other victims?" Chaga said as he turned to her.

"I can't be sure it's related of course…"

"But?"

"Well, about a year ago two hunters disappeared without a trace. I met Hector in the same region not long after that…I think that may by more than just coincidence…"

"How long do you think he was at it," Chaga questioned.

"As I said, I only know of those two but…"

"When this is all over, I'll make sure to look up any other missing person reports. Did this happen nearby?"

"Actually no. It happened in Congo. I guess that Hector decided to find a new territory…"

All of them fell silent for a long moment afterward as they reflected on the analogy that Phoebe's comment raised. She had in effect compared Hector to a predator on the move for a richer territory and more prey. Not that it was all that surprising to most present, but it did bring back the awful feeling that they were being hunted.

Then, Chaga was the one who broke the silence. "If I understand this correctly, we should be relatively safe tonight. My men will guard the perimeter and I strongly suggest that you all get some rest. Who knows when you'll get the chance until this thing is over. Then starting tomorrow, we'll all stick together at all times and remain on alert until we find this Hector and the beasts. Whatever they may be," Chaga added when he saw Cole about to add something.

Everyone nodded approvingly although they were still unsure how they would find sleep after all these emotions. Cole was the first one to head for his tent, as the wounds bothered him and he felt an intense fatigue that he attributed to them and the stress. However, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't find sleep as he laid staring at the roof of the tent fixedly. He was still trying to make sense of his friend's actions along with his own worries about himself when a noise near the entrance caught his attention. Slowly, he reached for his bag, which the natives retrieved, and he grabbed the tranquilizer gun. Cole realized he was probably overreacting, but considering their situation, he couldn't take the chance. He pretended to be asleep, although he kept his eyes half opened and waited anxiously. The flap lifted slowly and Cole finally recognized Phoebe in the light provided by the campfire. He let out a discreet sigh of relief but after releasing his hold on the gun, he closed his eyes shut, still pretending to sleep. Right then, he figured that either she was coming to scold him or to discuss his earlier admission about his feelings for her. At the time, Cole truly believed that one or both of them might not make it out alive. However now he worried that Phoebe could be upset about it and he wasn't certain he was ready to face that.

"Cole," she whispered as she sat by his side. Cole believed he fooled her because she didn't try again for a few seconds. 

"Cole…I know you're awake…"

"Damn," Cole thought before he opened his eyes and found himself staring at her. Contrary to what he had feared, Phoebe didn't seem that upset. "Well, if I was sleeping, now I'm not…why are you here? Of course, if you changed your mind about…"

"Cole…" Phoebe said warningly.

"Alright," he sighed exaggerately. "Then why?"

"First off, I wanted to tell you that you acted really stupidly earlier…"

"Here it comes," Cole thought to himself. "I thought I could make Hector listen," He said aloud.

"You could've gotten killed."

"At the time, I thought we'd all get killed. On the other hand, if I got through to Hector…"

"Is that why you said it?" Phoebe interrupted.

"Said what," Cole replied, pretending not to know what she was referring to.

"You said you still loved me…did you mean it?"

"Would it make any difference?"

"Cole I need to know if you said it because you thought we were gonna die."

"I won't lie to you… that was mostly the reason…"

Phoebe suddenly turned her back to him, as if she heard enough.

"But I did mean it," Cole uttered intently. He didn't even know why he did. What was the point? 

"You did," Phoebe questioned hesitantly without looking at him.

"Yeah…I did…I do," Cole still added in spite of his doubts.

"Why are telling me this now?" Phoebe asked again, this time turning halfway toward him.

"I don't know for sure."

"You don't know?" Phoebe repeated with a hint of annoyance to her voice.

"Look Phoebe. I do love you. I never stopped. I guess I only realized it recently. But that changes nothing. I'm not asking anything from you."

"You're not…" Phoebe echoed dubiously.

A wicked smile spread over Cole's lips. "Well unless you've got something to offer…"

"Why do you have to behave like this?" Phoebe exclaimed. "One second, you're telling me you love me and the next you treat me like a cheap date!"

"Hum," Cole said as he frowned slightly. "Where does it say that love and desire can't go together?"

"You know what I meant," Phoebe replied irritably.

"Ok well, we could debate this all night but I don't think that would change a thing. Again, I didn't ask for anything that you don't wanna give. I know you got that guy and…"

"Leave Philip out of it."

"How the hell am I supposed to leave him out of it? I'd say Philip's very much part of it, as absent as he may be at the moment."

"I…" Phoebe started but she stopped right away. She couldn't argue that point. After all, it was she who brought Philip along. She suddenly wondered if Cole was right about her intentions. Maybe she did want to see how he'd react. However, she knew that whatever her reasons might have been, it didn't really matter now. For a long moment, she hesitated, halfway to the entrance, and then she came back to sit by Cole's side without a word.

"Was there something else," Cole questioned, suddenly ill-at-ease.

"I…does it hurt," she asked, indicating his shoulder, and Cole was certain that it wasn't what she meant to say.

"If I say yes, you'll call me a wimp; if I say no, you'll call me a liar…I can't win by answering this question."

"You're insufferable," Phoebe reproached half-heartedly.

"What was it you really wanted to say?"

"I just thought…I mean…you said you didn't like to be alone in the dark…"

"Where the hell did you hear such a ridiculous thing?"

"You told that to the chimp…"

"Oh and now you'll use that to say I'm a coward?" Cole questioned with an amused smile that denied the reproach.

"I don't really think you're a coward," Phoebe answered with a vague smile of her own. "Although when comes to feelings…"

"Look who's talking. I seem to remember I was the one who expressed my feelings. Not the reverse…"

"I…"

"You know what. That's ok. Don't say anything."

"Can I stay with you tonight?" 

Cole opened wide eyes at this, wondering if he heard right. "Pardon me? Weren't you the one…"

"I just meant staying, Cole."

"That's still a dangerous proposition…"

"What if I told you I don't like to be alone in the dark?" Phoebe pursued, ignoring the allusion as she knew he was mostly teasing her. "Can't you do me the same courtesy you were gonna do a chimp?"

"It's just I don't feel the same impulses toward Cindy…" Cole teased gently. However, he opened his arms and invited her to him all the same. "But I'll make an effort… maybe you could try shrieking once or twice…you know…"

Phoebe shook her head against his chest but he knew she was smiling even if he couldn't see her face. "I was so scared today…" she whispered after a moment of silence.

"We all were. You said it yourself." Cole offered reasonably as he tightened his hold on her slightly. "But for once, I'm grateful for those guns out there…"

"I meant for you," Phoebe admitted in a little voice. "I thought you were dead…twice. That's just about too much for me."

"Nah…I've got thick skin. I told you I'm not going anywhere," Cole answered while he wondered even more about her presence there. Did it mean anything? Or did she just figure he was the only man she could trust that night? After all, she was the only woman in a camp filled with strange men. No matter though, it still felt good to hold her in his arms and he decided not to question this any further.

"I missed this…" Phoebe said after a moment.

"What?"

"I always felt safe in your arms."

"You, the great hunter? I've got trouble believing that you'd need me to feel safe."

"Believe it or not, it's true…"

Another long moment of silence passed and Cole wondered if she was already asleep. "Phoebe?" he asked. When he got no answer, he began caressing her hair gently. "I always feel safer in your arms too, baby," Cole said softly. He didn't see her smiling and she didn't say anything but both of them felt more at peace afterward and they soon fell asleep in each other's arms.

~~~~~

Hector stood in a clearing with only the moon for illumination. He was staring at a section of the forest intently. A dark shadow seemed to hover in front of the trees. "If he doesn't leave, I won't get in your way again. However, I wanna try one last time. Now I've got leverage over him and neither he, nor his precious huntress will talk as long as I have what they want…" 

A deep growl answered this speech and suddenly the shadow moved back between the trees.

~~~~~~ 

The voice awakened him but he couldn't make out what it had said. It didn't matter though. He imagined it was more provocation on his captor's part. The cave where they held him was cold and damp. The leather ropes dug painfully into his wrists and ankles as he tried to find a relatively more comfortable position. However by then, he'd figured there weren't any. He couldn't see a thing so dark it was in there, but he could smell the aroma of ripe coconut near his face. They obviously had come during his restless sleep. Contorting himself painfully, he managed to fold his knees high enough to reach the meagre meal with his hands, but he almost knocked it down in the process. Licking his parched lips in spite of the dampness, he tried again, slower. The sweet liquid wasn't enough to appease his hunger, but he'd survive. That's all that mattered. He would survive, escape his captors, whoever or whatever they were, and then he would go back to Phoebe.


	11. Second Sight Chapter 10

** Chapter X**

Cole woke with a start, without knowing exactly what awakened him. It was still very dark outside and he knew he must not have slept very long. When he looked down toward Phoebe, he saw that she had shifted position and was now facing him. Maybe that was what happened. No matter, at this point he decided he didn't want to go back to sleep right away. 

A lock of Phoebe's hair was hiding half of her face and he delicately pushed it away, careful not to wake her. It felt so good to have her in his arms like it was before; but at the same time, it was bittersweet because unlike then, his fear that this would never happen again was very real. Even after she admitted to feeling safe with him, Phoebe didn't express any other feelings towards him. Even if Cole told her she didn't have to, he had been hoping that she felt the same as he did. Once again, he was reminded of how stupidly he acted in the past. Maybe they could have found a way to work things out… 

However, Cole also remembered bitterly that it was those very regrets which kept him from living again long after the divorce. Paul had tried to shake him out of his lethargy but it was Hector who really succeeded after three years. How strange it was that they were now preparing to hunt down the man who gave him back his life. Or did he? Hector had not been sweet about it. Most of all, he was harsh toward Phoebe. At the time, and as ashamed about it as Cole suddenly became at the thought, he accepted Hector's criticism of his ex-wife. He even came to think that Phoebe was in no way as great as he had believed her to be. Now, as he gazed at her, all he could think about was all he missed throughout those years. This was not to say that all of their memories together were cheery. There had been many times during their marriage where Cole felt inadequate and somewhat inferior in the face of her strength and decisiveness. Cole knew that it was in great part what drove him away. He often thought that Phoebe didn't really need him. When she was awake and among her peers, Phoebe was this strong woman; almost intimidating... Nonetheless, when in bed with him, and even more so when she was sleeping in his arms like now, he could delude himself that she did need him. 

"Why didn't you need me?" He whispered aloud without even realizing it. "Why couldn't you just compromise? Just a little for us?"

Then, Cole stopped and realized that the last two questions applied as much to him as they did to her. "Haven't I learned anything?" He sighed deeply, unsure if he could even answer this question. An unpleasant twinge in his shoulder prompted him to reposition himself and a grunt of pain escaped his lips.

"Are you ok?" Phoebe questioned immediately. 

Cole knew right away that she fooled him again. "How long have you been awake?"

Phoebe smiled sheepishly as she opened her eyes. "A while…"

"You know, you're much too good at this pretending to sleep thing."

"I've had a lot of practice…does it hurt?"

"Please, spare my male ego and don't ask about this anymore. It's enough that you listened to my ramblings…"

"I did need you," Phoebe replied softly. "You just didn't believe it…"

"When? When did you need me? You were never afraid of anything. You made your way through life and I could barely keep up."

"How can you say that?" But then Phoebe knew why he did. When they were together, she was young and driven. She wanted to impress not only Abner, but everyone else around her. At the time, it never occurred to her that hiding her weaknesses would actually cost her the most important relationship of her life. "I never meant to make you feel bad," She continued when Cole didn't answer. 

"I know that, Phoebe…The only thing is, I'm still not sure you needed me as much as I needed you."

"Why didn't you tell me these things? You didn't even talk about it when you thought I was asleep…"

"I don't think I was really aware of that, Phoebe. I was simply reacting."

Phoebe suddenly sat up to Cole's disappointment. "Don't go…if I said something that bothered you…"

"No…" Phoebe whispered. "No you didn't." After a long pause, Phoebe whispered, "I'm sorry…"

"You don't have to be sorry if you're not leaving, you know?"

"I'm sorry that I didn't tell you…" Phoebe answered, ignoring the quip.

"Tell me what?"

"I had doubts then too…"

"About us?" Cole questioned tensely.

"No…about what I did. About the hunt…"

"You did?" Cole questioned with obvious surprise.

"Just like you, I don't think I realized how much until later. But even if this happened only occasionally, I didn't tell you and I…" Phoebe stopped, unsure that she wanted to tell him her reasons now.

"You thought if you did, I'd use it to drive a wedge between you and Abner…"

Rather than confirming this in words, Phoebe looked away.

"You were right."

"What?" Phoebe questioned with some surprise of her own. "You mean you admit you'd have taken advantage of that?"

"Without a second thought, I'm ashamed to say."

"And now?"

"Things are slightly different. Even more so since this afternoon…I saw first hand what intransigence could do to someone. Not to mention what it did to us…"

"Is that why you didn't make more of my change of heart? I must admit, I expected you to gloat a lot more than that…or to be happy or something…"

"I like to surprise people," Cole quipped unconvincingly. "But the simple truth is that I didn't know how to react…Plus, I didn't want you to believe I was trying to take credit for your choices…" 

"There was no danger of that…although, I often thought of the things you used to say. They simply rang truer as time went by. During that safari last year, I understood I had not wanted to do this for a long time already and that I continued only for Abner…not for me. I…" Phoebe gazed intently at Cole for another long moment before she spoke again. "I guess I should thank you then."

"For what?"

"For not taking advantage…that's refreshing…"

"Was that a compliment or a reproach?"

"I'm not sure."

"Hum…I guess I'll lean on the positive side then and believe that we're doing well."

Cole smiled while saying this and it reminded Phoebe of those early days of their marriage. There was no mockery or ulterior motives to that smile. She knew him well enough to be certain of that. "I missed that," she said as she brushed hesitant fingers across his lips. She was about to remove them after seeing the sudden desire in his eyes, but Cole grabbed her hand and kissed her palm softly.

"What is it you missed," Cole questioned hoarsely when Phoebe didn't try to pull away. "My smile or…" He stopped and stared at her intensely. The silence seemed filled with anticipation for both of them. Slowly Cole moved the hand that had still been resting on Phoebe's back toward her neck and he began pulling her toward him. Their lips were about to meet when Paul called from outside the tent. "Cole, are you ok?"

Phoebe reacted nervously, moving away from Cole. Then, as Paul was about to lift the flap to the tent without waiting for an answer, she suddenly jumped behind Cole, hiding under the blanket. He gave her an annoyed glance but didn't comment while he partially hid her from view by rolling on his side.

"Are you ok," Paul repeated as he leaned inside the tent.

"Of course, I'm ok," Cole replied, faking sleepiness. "You just woke me up."

"Sorry, but I thought I heard voices…Do you also talk to yourself in your dreams?" Paul asked with an amused smile.

"That wouldn't be a big surprise. But what are you doing up?"

"I couldn't find sleep…I thought maybe you couldn't either and we'd keep each other company."

"Well, I've had a long day, Paul. With all those armed guards, I figured we're as safe as can be if that's what worries you."

"Hey, are you trying to insinuate I can't sleep because I'm scared?" Paul exclaimed in a half-hearted protest.

"I wouldn't dream of saying that. I just think you should get some rest. I'll sure try myself."

Paul gave him a strange look at this. "Hum, you're awfully gracious about it. Something I should know?"

"I just said I was tired, Paul."

"It wouldn't have anything to do with your ex-wife and you being afraid I'll want to talk about her?"

"Why would you say that?" Cole asked while feeling nervous without knowing why. After all, he didn't think he and Phoebe were doing anything wrong. 

"I don't know. It must've been something to spend all this time with her. I mean I know how hard it was for you."

"I'm over that and you know it," Cole replied with obvious annoyance. "If anything, it just reminded me of how bossy and intransigent she is," Cole pursued, still miffed that she was afraid of being seen with him. "Ouch!" He exclaimed when Phoebe pinched his lower back. 

"What was that?" Paul inquired as he came closer. Then he noticed a lump under the thermal blanket. "Is there someone with you?"

"Oh, alright! You caught me. I didn't want you to get stupid ideas," Cole answered dejectedly. Phoebe tensed noticeably behind him and he thought he might get some amusement out of that. 

"Caught you?"

"Cindy came back," Cole said as he rolled his eyes toward the lump. 

"Cindy?"

"The chimp… Come on Cindy, why don't you say hello to Uncle Paul?" At first, Phoebe feared he'd give her away, but it soon became obvious he simply intended to have some fun at her expense and she decided she should beat him to it. Without hesitation, she slid her hand toward Cole's crotch and grabbed him through his thin underpants, startling him.

"What the hell are you two doing, Cole?" Paul asked when he noticed his friend's sudden jumpiness.

"See, that's why I didn't want to tell you about Cindy," Cole responded with a slight tremor. "You've got such a dirty mind. I remember the fuss you made about Sinta sleeping in my bedroom…Now go to sleep!"

"Alright, I'll leave you two to whatever it is you're doing. Although I probably should call Hector here; I sense abuse. Or should I report the chimp?" Paul clowned.

"If my shoulder didn't hurt so much, I'd throw you out myself," Cole uttered with false severity. However, Phoebe's caressing hand caused his breathing to quicken noticeably.

"You sure you don't want to talk about this," Paul questioned with increasing curiosity.

"If you've gotta know, she's scratching me because she's scared. Now could you please leave?" When he saw that Paul still wouldn't budge, he insisted firmly as he grabbed Phoebe's hand, "Good night Paul!" 

"Right," Paul said while reluctantly dropping the tent flap behind him. As he was heading back for his tent, wondering about Cole's strange behaviour, Paul noticed one of the guards tensing and aiming his rifle toward the woods. Paul drew in a deep breath to slow the sudden racing of his heart and he took a few steps toward the guard. Then, he saw what caught the guard's attention with relief. A chimp jumped out of the woods and made her way quickly towards Paul, sidestepping the guard, who quickly forgot about it and returned to his watch.

"Hey little one," Paul said softly to the animal. The chimp allowed him to pick her up and he read the tag with some surprise. "Wait a minute… Aren't you Cindy?" he questioned rhetorically while turning a curious glance toward Cole's tent. Then a smile spread over his lips. "Well what do you know?" he told the chimp smugly as he again headed for his tent with her in his arms. "I guess you really didn't want to spend the night alone. But I think Uncle Cole's got all the company he wants tonight. I hope you don't mind a substitute? Oh and don't go get ideas," Paul added, remembering his own comment to Cole with a giggle.

Inside Cole's tent, Phoebe was watching him with a severe expression after she pulled her hand out of his grasp. "I'm bossy? Intransigent?"

"You know, now that Paul's gone, you could go back to teasing me. I loved it…" Cole said, pretending he didn't hear what she said.

"That's what you think of me?" Phoebe insisted, coming closer but with all the appearance of anger.

"You've gotta admit…you're a little head strong…" Cole offered with a hesitant smile.

"Really?" Phoebe questioned pointedly, mere inches from his face.

"I also think that you're lovely and sexy…particularly now…"

"Really," Phoebe repeated but with a noticeably softer tone of voice.

"Now, I've gotta warn you, if you come any closer I'm gonna kiss you."

"What the hell are you waiting for," Phoebe replied with a sudden smile.

"I don't know," Cole groaned as he grabbed her neck and closed the distance between them quickly. He kissed her long and hard, enjoying the warmth of her mouth fully as she responded to his desire with the same obvious passion. Her hips pressed against his almost forcefully and he didn't hesitate to grab her buttocks, pleased at her immediate response as she began rocking against him. Cole forgot all about the danger around them, or even the pain from his wounds, only wanting to be inside of her at that point and he started pulling at her pants impatiently.

"Well," he said breathlessly while her lips trailed toward his neck sensuously. "I love it when you're bossy…"

"I'll show you who's wearing the pants here," Phoebe whispered playfully.

"To be honest," Cole replied while reaching between them and undoing her trousers quickly, "I prefer you without…"

Phoebe only groaned in response, helping along as he pushed her pants towards her thighs. 

"God Phoebe," Cole whispered while resuming his caress of her buttocks and enjoying the soft feel of her skin against his. "If I'd known I needed to insult you to get you hot, I'd have worked harder at it…"

"You bastard," Phoebe growled as she tried to pull away. 

Before she could however, Cole rolled her on her back quickly. "I'm sorry?" Cole offered insincerely.

"No you're not."

"Alright, I'm not, but you can't play games with me like this anymore…" he said with obvious amusement.

"I'm not going anywhere…" Phoebe replied hoarsely before wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him to her. "And don't play games with me either." She was already pulling at his underpants when she noticed a sudden change in Cole's expression.

"What is it?"

Cole didn't answer right away, rather peeling himself off of her reluctantly. "I'm gonna hate myself in the morning for this…who am I kidding? I already do…"

"Hey, I am consenting here," Phoebe uttered irritably, feeling an intense frustration at the moment.

"I mean because I can't do this." Cole replied hesitantly.

"What?" Phoebe exclaimed a little too loud. She sat up and stared at Cole incredulously. "Now wait a minute. You're the one who's been trying to get into my pants for the past two days, aren't you?"

"Yeah," Cole trailed.

"And now, you're telling me you don't want to anymore?" Phoebe ostensibly indicated his midsection. "Your body is singing a different song altogether though."

"Hence the regrets…"

"What the hell is the matter with you?"

"You just said so. I won't play games with you…even though I really want you…"

"Cole?"

"I don't want to do this for the wrong reasons…"

"Oh my god…when did you become such a prude?"

"Hey! I'm trying to do the right thing here," Cole reproached.

"And the right thing is to get me all hot and then send me away?"

"First off, I never said I wanted you to leave; and secondly…who did it first?"

"Is that some kind of petty revenge?" Phoebe growled.

"No! Come on Phoebe…it's not like that at all."

"Then what?"

"I'd prefer if you calmed down first. You wanted me to talk to you? Well, now I've got something to say. But if you act this way…"

"Talk…" Phoebe shot back impatiently.

"You're not making this easy…"

"Should I shriek like your chimp?"

"I could never mistake you for a chimp…I told you that already. Look…I thought…"

"What," Phoebe questioned with mounting irritation.

"Until a moment ago, I thought we could do this and move on if you really wanted to. I don't think that anymore."

"Ok I think the prude comment wasn't exactly on the mark, but who's the tease now?"

"Phoebe, please! I just meant that I don't want this to be a one time thing …"

"Well then, if that's the way you want it, I'll leave you alone," Phoebe grumbled while self-consciously pulling her pants up. "I wouldn't want to hurt your sensibilities."

She was already standing up when Cole grabbed her arm firmly. "Come on Phoebe. I certainly didn't say that to chase you away. I…"

"What?"

"I love you."

Phoebe hesitated at length, unable to look at him. "I can't do this…"

"Why? Because of this Philip," Cole replied almost angrily. "You weren't thinking about him a minute ago."

"How dare you?"

"I'm not the one who's got a fiancée."

"I didn't promise you anything. You said it yourself. We always had great sex…until now."

"That's all? You're telling me you don't feel anything for me? Look at me," Cole suddenly exploded. 

Phoebe slowly turned toward him and she was pained to see the hurt in his eyes. However, she feared giving in. "I can't Cole. It took me too long get over us the first time around. I won't go through this again."

"Why couldn't it work out this time?"

"Do you remember how we started out, Cole? That first night? We didn't date; we entered a relationship long before you even asked me to marry you. We rushed into things without thinking and look where it got us."

"I remember how happy we were. Don't you?" 

"I can't forget the pain." Phoebe replied regretfully.

"You think I can?" Cole exclaimed unhappily. "I told you how hard it's been for me too. Did you know that it was Hector who finally managed to wake me up from this nightmare that lasted three goddamn years? You think it was all fun and games for me?"

Phoebe sat back heavily but she avoided touching Cole again. "What does Hector have to do with this?"

"Two years ago, Paul almost fired me…Far from getting better, I was getting drunk way too often and without the love I have for these animals, and maybe that they were filling a missing part of me, I probably would've taken to the jungle, just like Hector. Come to think of it, maybe that's why he came to knock some sense into me. He saw where I was headed."

"How?"

"Well for starters, he literally knocked me out and then dragged me out of the bar where he found me. Then he stayed with me for a week and…never mind." Cole stopped, remembering all the terrible things Hector said about Phoebe that week. In truth, it wasn't just Phoebe, but all women. Cole only took what he needed to get out of the hole he'd dug for himself. 

"What did he say," Phoebe questioned at last.

"You don't wanna know. Suffice to say I managed to put you behind me after that. But now I know it was a mistake…" Cole uttered intently.

"How do you know if it isn't a mistake for us to get back together? Until I met Philip, I didn't think I could be with anyone anymore. I didn't believe it was worth the pain."

"What's different with him?"

"I'm not sure," Phoebe uttered in a low voice while looking away. 

"If you're gonna marry him, I think you should at least have a clue what's special about him." Cole questioned while a knot formed in his stomach.

"You don't wanna talk about this anymore than I do…"

"Maybe I deserve to know actually. If I'm really gonna lose you to him…" Cole trailed.

Phoebe sighed deeply, gazing back at him uncertainly. "He can't hurt me…"

"What makes you so sure? He's a guy and well…"

"That's actually funny coming from you. No wait, it's not…"

"I already told you…"

"I know," Phoebe cut him off. "Look…Abner got me to do something I might not have been cut out for and that, for most of my life. I did it because I loved him so much. Then you…" Phoebe licked her lips nervously. "I almost stopped living because of you. Abner cursed your name every day thinking that you were the reason for the changes in his little girl and he was right…at least in part. Philip can't hurt me because I'll never love him the way I loved you."

"Loved…"

"Don't ask me anymore, Cole. I…I don't wanna get into this."

"Well," Cole uttered with obvious disappointment. "That's what I get for opening up."

"Don't say that! I wish…"

"I wish that too…"

"If you want me to leave now, I will."

"I don't want you to leave. Phoebe…I want you to know that. No matter what you think of me, if you're willing to give me a chance, I'll make sure you'll never regret it."

Phoebe simply shook her head without a word and she turned away from him again. As she was about to leave the tent, Cole tried one last time to get through to her. He went to her and grabbed her shoulders, forcing her to look at him in the eyes. "Tell me you don't love me and I'll accept it."

Phoebe's heart sank in spite of her resolve to be strong. "I…Good night Cole," she said quickly before slipping out of his grasp and hurrying out of the tent.

Cole stared at the opening for a long time before he went to lie down again, this time with a new resolve. He would get her back and prove to her that it was for keeps. He was there with his reflections when a familiar voice startled him. "Well, looks like trouble in paradise. But you're like a moth to the flame aren't you?"

Cole looked up and he saw the older man entering the tent quickly.

"How did you?"

"Get by your sentries? I'm sorry to say that one of them will not be around anymore. I warned you Cole. You should've listened to me."

"Did you kill him?" Cole asked, ignoring the threat.

"If I chose to, this camp would already be wiped out," Hector told him instead of answering the question directly. "But I wanted to give you one more chance; for old time's sake."

"I won't let you hurt these people anymore," Cole replied firmly in spite of his inner doubts on the matter. He was already moving threateningly toward Hector.

"I'm sure you've understood that you can't prevent their deaths…but I'm willing to make you an offer; just because we're friends."

"We're no longer friends," Cole protested angrily. "What you've done…it's indescribable, Hector."

"It's the law of the jungle, Cole. I thought you said you learned about that. Kill or be killed. Survival of the fittest…That's the law I live by now. And if you know what's good for you and your precious Phoebe, you'll listen to what I have to say."

"What about Phoebe," Cole shot back nervously. He was already preparing to rush out of the tent, suddenly fearing that someone took her away.

"She's safe. I haven't done anything to her…yet. Cole, listen to me attentively. If you agree to join me, I'll let you bring her along."

"I thought you said Phoebe was done for," Cole said angrily. 

"I figured since you care so deeply about her that you're willing to risk your life for her, the only way to save you was to spare Phoebe too. After all, she did stay away from the hunt for a while. Maybe this is just a set back… I'm actually willing to give her the benefit of the doubt."

Cole stared at his old mentor with scorn, but inwardly he was contemplating this new option even if he hated himself for it. What if there really was no way off this mountain? Then he reflected that if he caved and agreed to whatever Hector proposed, he couldn't live with himself, let alone face Phoebe again. What's more, he knew what Phoebe would say. "Phoebe will never go along with this and neither will I."

Hector smiled patronizingly as he got up and backed up toward the opening. "Oh but I think you will. If Phoebe resists, tell her that her precious daddy will die!" As soon as he had dropped his bombshell, stunning Cole, Hector hurried out of the tent. The moment the first shock wore out, Cole ran out behind him, but he only got to see Hector re-entering the forest and by then, he knew that following the old man would have been suicide. Cole opened his mouth to alert the sentries, but he closed it right back and instead, headed for Phoebe's tent.

He was about to go in when one of the sentries sounded the alarm. He knew then with a sinking feeling that Hector had been telling the truth…Phoebe rushed out of her tent and bumped into him as she did so. "Cole what are you…" she stopped when she saw the other men running towards the sentry who gave the alarm. She hesitated only an instant, noticing the strange look Cole gave her and then she hurried passed him toward the others.


	12. Second Sight Chapter 11

** Chapter XI**

Paul rushed out of his tent almost immediately after Phoebe and then ran to the others; but now he was coming back slowly toward Cole and this one didn't remember seeing his friend so distressed ever. Paul was pale as death and at first, he barely noticed Cole as he sat rigidly near the fire. Behind him, Phoebe and Chaga and his men were discussing animatedly, while bending over what no doubt was the body of the dead sentry. Meanwhile, Cole had barely moved a muscle since Phoebe left. However, if he couldn't find the strength to move, his mind was racing. Chaga had assured them that they were absolutely safe; protected by well trained men. Yet, one of those men was dead, obviously at Hector's hand, or rather at the hands of whoever was working with him. Even now, Cole couldn't imagine Hector killing anyone himself. 

If fear was a definite factor in Cole's state of mind, it wasn't really what paralysed him. From the moment he heard the sentry's call, Cole understood that they had to get away from this mountain. Most of all, he knew that if he told Phoebe about her father, she'd never leave without Abner. At the same time, the idea of leaving anyone behind, even if that was Abner, was eating at him. Right then, he saw Phoebe coming back ahead of four of Chaga's men carrying the body. However, all but Phoebe headed away from the campfire. He was grateful for that as he really didn't feel like gazing upon another mutilated body at this point.

Cole watched Phoebe intently as she slowed down and stopped a distance from him, obviously lost in sombre thoughts. He was still torn about what he was going to tell her when Paul grabbed his attention. "I'm gonna call for help," he uttered shakily as he stood up. 

"How?"

"I've got the sat phone," Paul explained while heading for his tent. 

"Right," Cole answered while already thinking of something else.

Paul stopped and gave a quick glance at Cole. "Maybe you should put something on, Cole. You're turning blue." There was no trace of hilarity in his voice. 

Only then did Cole remember that he was standing in his underwear in the cold night. Up until this moment, he supposed that his shivering was due to all the upset around him. In truth, as he hurried toward his tent, Cole still believed that fear was part of it. He barely had his pants on when he heard a loud exclamation of disbelief and anger. He grabbed a shirt and came back out to find Paul staring at what was left of his sat phone. The device had been broken in two. Another chill coursed through Cole; and this time, he was certain that it had nothing to do with the ambient temperature. 

"God Damnit!" Paul exclaimed again, throwing the pieces toward the fire angrily. 

Chaga was just coming back with his men and after seeing the two pieces of the sat phone by the fire, he entered his own tent hurriedly without a word. He came back holding a battered radio. Hector had been thorough. 

"We're cut off," Chaga uttered darkly while staring at what was left of his radio. Then he seemed to wake up from a nightmare. "Anybody see anything? You," he said nodding toward Cole, "you were the first one out. Did you notice anything?"

Phoebe had come closer but up until this moment, she had avoided looking at Cole altogether. When she noticed Cole's hesitation however, she gave him her full attention.

"I…" Cole finally said uncertainly. "I'm not sure…"

"What does that mean," Chaga insisted.

"I might've seen someone or something going into the woods…I thought it was one of the guards and then…all the screaming."

"That's all?" Chaga asked with a strong hint of suspicion. "You haven't…seen the face of that person?"

"I told you, it was dark and I'm not even sure if it was human…" Cole replied with obvious discomfort.

Chaga took a few steps toward Cole and from the look of him, he wasn't buying it. Cole swallowed hard, unsure if he was doing the right thing here. However, the thought of protecting Phoebe from herself was the foremost on his mind.

"One of my men is lying dead back there," Chaga said intensely. "He doesn't even have a face anymore and whatever did it to him tore his arms off; all of this too fast for him to even utter a sound. What is it we're faced with, Daktari?"

"How the hell should I know?"

"That's the question isn't it…you stayed behind…maybe you didn't need to see what became of him."

"What the hell are you insinuating officer?" Cole questioned with sincere outrage. No matter that he kept something from them, the idea that this man could think of him as a vicious killer was appalling.

"Isn't this Hector your friend?" Chaga pursued, unabated. 

"Stop it," Phoebe intervened as she came to position herself between the two men. "What you're saying is ridiculous."

"Pardon me, Bi, but you're not the best person to vouch for the Mganga's innocence."

Phoebe flinched, but she persisted nonetheless. "I'm telling you, you're barking up the wrong tree. If Cole says he didn't see anything else, then he didn't."

Chaga gave them both a dubious glare but he didn't insist. "Well, no matter, we still have a big problem on our hands. I already doubled the guard, but without a clue as to what we're facing here..."

"I think we should go back," Cole offered.

"And then what? Leave those beasts to do what they please and kill more people?" Phoebe questioned incredulously as she turned to face Cole.

"I simply think that whatever is out there is too dangerous. A lot more manpower is needed to deal with this. And since we're cut off…"

"This could still be the work of the tigers. Remember I saw one up close earlier…"

"I doubt that very much. Tigers don't have the cognitive ability to choose to destroy communication devices and nothing else…I may not be certain of what I saw but it's obvious there's more to this than a couple of man-eaters. I believe there must be people involved."

"I think that Cole has a point," Paul added. "How can we be sure we're equipped to deal with the problem without knowing the scope of the danger? What I've seen and heard so far is not reassuring in the least. We thought your men could prevent the worst," Paul pursued while turning toward Chaga, "but look at what's happening. Whoever is behind this entered the camp without any of your men sounding the alarm; he killed one of them and effectively cut us off from the outside world. This added with the viciousness of the kill…"

Chaga eyed them all in turn with obvious suspicion, as he was wondering if he fell into a viper's nest rather than came to rescue those people. However, in the end he had to admit that Paul and Cole's assessment of the situation reached his own. He still promised to investigate them when they were back in civilization, "We're gonna leave at first light. All of us."

"No," Phoebe protested. "I said I wanted to see this through…"

"Phoebe," Cole interrupted. "Don't you think your father would want you to live? I don't believe he'd want you to risk your life needlessly." Cole hated himself for keeping something so important from Phoebe, but he was certain that if she knew the truth, there wouldn't be any reasoning with her. Maybe if the army came back soon enough, there would still be a chance to save Abner. However, for that, they had to be able to call upon them.

"I made a promise that…"

"You didn't make a promise to die. I may not have gotten along well with your father, but I know he wouldn't have wanted you to risk everything for revenge."

Phoebe glared at him for a long moment and then she seemed to resign herself as she lowered her eyes slowly. 

"Is everyone accounted for?" Chaga asked around. He surveyed everyone present and suddenly realized that, if almost everyone was out of their tents, the native that came with them was not. "Where's Issa?"

Suddenly alerted, Chaga and the others headed for the tent where the native stayed. He was supposed to share it with one of Chaga's men, but this one was on watch up until now. Chaga was the first one inside the tent, but he stepped back quickly with a horrified expression. When Cole leaned in cautiously and then saw what shocked the policeman, he thought he would vomit on the spot. There was blood everywhere and what had to be pieces of flesh sticking to the canvas up to the roof of the tent; as if something had shaken the native violently while tearing him apart. 

After the first moment of shock had passed, Chaga regained a modicum of countenance. "From now on, we all stick together. Everyone gets a weapon. Bring down those tents now. I want a clear view of the surroundings. Two men take care of burying Bandele and what's left of Issa. We'll come for their bodies and the others later." All of this, he said in a commanding voice and no one even thought of questioning his orders before they went to work. 

Paul had forgotten about the chimp by then and, as he started putting down his tent, Cindy came out of it almost in a panic. "Oh sorry little one," Paul exclaimed amongst her clamours. Everyone's attention turned to him and Cindy for a moment, but they quickly returned to their tasks. After seeing this, Cole knew that his friend would surely mention his little white lie sooner or later, but he was convinced that under the circumstances, it would rather be later. Cindy quickly came to hide behind him. Animals could easily sense fear, but in this case, Cole thought that he could smell it all around him. "Poor girl," he said to her, "you really know how to pick them. I believe you'd be much safer with your own kind, my sweet." No matter, Cindy wouldn't budge from his side, even clinging to his leg while he worked. 

"Cole?" Phoebe said behind him. Without the hindrance of the chimp sticking to her like glue, she had finished her task much quicker. 

Rather than turning to her, Cole pursued his work. "What," he asked reluctantly.

"Looks like your little friend won't leave you alone," Phoebe replied, obviously putting off telling Cole her true concern. 

"I'm not complaining," Cole tried to joke, "at least, that's one female who enjoys my company…"

"Very funny," Phoebe commented in a half-hearted sarcasm. 

"You didn't come to talk about the chimp, did you?" Cole questioned after a few seconds of silence. Meanwhile, Cindy tugged on his leg a few times, and then she simply ran off into the jungle. "Well, maybe she finally figured out that we're an unhealthy bunch to stick with," he said, while watching Cindy disappear among the trees.

"Are you keeping something from us, Cole?" Phoebe blurted.

This brought Cole's attention back to her right away. "Weren't you the one who assured the captain of my innocence?"

"That's not an answer Cole…"

"Maybe I am…"

"Why…"

"Do you still suspect me?" Cole questioned uncertainly.

"No…I just wanna know why. I…I believe you had your reasons."

"Maybe I knew what you'd all think of me. After all, it's obvious this Chaga believes me to be in collusion with Hector."

"Was it Hector?"

Cole sighed, again uncertain how much he should tell Phoebe. This very night, he promised himself to win her back and now, he was certain that even if his intentions were good, Phoebe would hate him for keeping the news about her father from her. "He tried to convince me to go with him."

"Why didn't you warn anyone?" 

"I didn't have time. I was startled when he came into my tent. Then, it all went too fast. I tried to catch up with him but…"

"That would have been stupid, Cole. Trying to catch him would've been suicide. And you had no reason to hide this from us." 

"Nonetheless, you still wondered…"

"No, I…"

"It's ok. I understand. But now what matters is for us to reach safety as fast as we can."

"Do you really believe we're in such danger? I mean look around us. All those men with weapons…"

"Didn't stop whatever is killing us one by one. We're dropping like flies, Phoebe."

Phoebe only stared at him very seriously without a word.

"Aren't you gonna lecture me about my cowardice?"

Phoebe only hesitated a moment longer before she whispered, "I'm scared too…" She didn't resist when Cole pulled her into his arms protectively. 

Even with all that was going on around them, this sincere admission on her part warmed Cole inside. He wished he could protect her against all dangers and he made the decision that he would try at all cost. "I won't let anything happen to you," he whispered.

"I'm supposed to be the big bad hunter…not you," Phoebe replied softly. In truth, right then, she actually believed Cole could protect her by sheer will and it felt strangely good to give in to this belief. After a moment, an image of her father flashed in her mind. It wasn't a recent memory but rather something she recalled from her youth. He used to hold her like this before she decided she was too old to be scared. Tears welled in her eyes when she remembered the last time she saw him, but she fought back the urge to cry.

"Phoebe, are you ok?" Cole questioned, sensing the change in her as she tensed against him.

"If I'm ok," Phoebe questioned in a slightly mocking fashion.

"Alright, maybe that wasn't the right thing to ask, but you seemed…"

"I was just thinking about Abner," Phoebe interrupted as she pulled away slightly. She saw the frown on Cole's forehead, but Phoebe simply assumed that he didn't like hearing about her father. 

After another silence, Cole questioned, "Wanna talk about it?"

"Do you really wanna know?"

"I'm not sure I wanna know, but it's obvious you need to talk." 

Phoebe was surprised that he offered to listen like this, particularly given his dislike of Abner. "Thanks," she uttered uncertainly. "Well, I told you that Abner and I had been at odds lately, but what I didn't say is that the last time I saw him, I practically threw him out of my apartment…that was two months ago…"

"Phoebe I'm sorry…"

"It had nothing to do with you. You don't have to be sorry…He wanted me to go back to the hunt and give up on Philip because he believed Philip was responsible for my change of heart. I got very angry with him and well… anyway, I blame myself. I should've tried talking to him…now I'll never get the chance," she trailed while lowering her eyes. 

Cole opened his mouth, almost ready to tell her about Abner, but again, he reflected that even Abner would get angry if Phoebe put herself in danger for him. Cole also knew that Phoebe wouldn't see it this way when she found out he lied to her. Nevertheless, and even if he might never get over losing this second chance with Phoebe, Cole was certain that telling her would most likely cause her death. There was no way around this and he kept silent. 

Phoebe suddenly looked up, and with another pinch to his heart Cole noticed that her eyes were bright with repressed tears. "Phoebe…"

"I'm the one who should be sorry, Cole," Phoebe interrupted again in a strangled voice. 

"No…" Cole protested.

"Yes…Earlier I should've answered you but I was scared. I didn't want you to assume it meant…"

"What are you talking about?"

Around them, the men were starting to assemble around Chaga, as the sun was already coming up. Phoebe noticed it but she remained still for a long moment, staring at Cole uncertainly. "It's gonna sound a little gloomy…"

"What?" Cole insisted, truly wondering at the moment. Between his own worries and seeing Phoebe so vulnerable, he couldn't think of what she was getting at.

Phoebe came closer and her lips brushed on his own lightly before she whispered, "I…if something happened to you and I didn't tell you..."

"Tell me what," Cole asked softly.

"I do love you," Phoebe blurted before pulling away quickly and walking towards the other men. Cole stood there, staring at her with mixed feelings. On the one hand, he was extremely happy, but then, there was the fact that no matter what she said now, it would all change soon. Not to mention that there was the strong possibility neither one of them would live long enough to see what might happen between them.

"Well," Paul said beside Cole, startling him, "it seems that you haven't lost time."

"For what," Cole questioned distractedly.

"I thought you were over this girl…"

Cole turned to Paul with irritation. "I don't think it's any of your business."

"It is if you end up drinking too much again. Obviously, Hector won't come to your rescue this time."

"That won't happen," Cole replied quickly. "Besides, this could all be a moot point very soon…"

"I love your optimism, Cole." Paul uttered sarcastically.

"I'm just being realistic here."

"Or maybe you figure if it ends here, you won't have to face the harsh reality if it doesn't work out with her?"

"Keep your two cents psychology to yourself, Paul…I'm not in the mood. Besides, I don't wish to die anymore than you do."

"That's good to know…"

"Also," Cole added as he turned toward Paul, "you weren't too quick defending me earlier. Do you also think I could kill people?"

"Now wait just a minute. I'm your friend… Although usually, friends don't lie to friends…"

"Oh come on, that was just…"

"Yeah I know," Paul dismissed. "Well, for what it's worth, I don't believe for a minute that you could hurt anyone. So there you have it. However, the same doesn't go for me," he pursued as he indicated the shotgun on his back. Then, he put down the pack he was carrying and bent to grab some ammunition.

Cole looked down at that moment and noticed a hand gun in there too. This along with the two short conversations he just had gave him an idea. "Hey, I see you got this big gun…Do you mind me taking your handgun?"

Paul stared at his friend in surprise. "Don't you have a tranquilizer gun and a rifle already?"

"The tranquilizer gun might not do the trick and frankly, the rifle…well it's heavy and not fast enough."

Paul gave him a suspicious gaze, wondering about Cole's motivations, but after a moment, he simply shrugged his concerns away. "Knock yourself out. For my part, I prefer making very big holes in whatever is lurking about."

"I always knew you were a killer in the blood," Cole mocked without much conviction as he grabbed the handgun along with some ammunition of his own.

"Are you sure you're ready for this, Cole?"

"Hey, you're the one who taught me how to shoot, remember?"

"Don't go hurting yourself," Paul shot back at him as he headed for the group.

As soon as the two dead natives' bodies were properly taken care of, they were on their way and after about an hour of uneventful hiking, Paul thought it a good idea to test the water with Phoebe. He was seriously worried about the aftermath of this expedition. He remembered how Cole could get when a bout of depression washed over him and this could be the beginning of another dark period for his friend. Not to mention that Cole was the best at what he did and would be nearly irreplaceable if he was to leave. He had been walking ahead of her but he slowed down, and soon Phoebe reached him.

"Hey," Paul called to Phoebe.

"Hey yourself," Phoebe replied flatly.

"What do you think our chances are," Paul questioned, mostly to break the ice but also because he wanted to get her opinion on the subject.

As time went by, Phoebe became increasingly convinced that their situation might not be as critical as they all believed. In fact, she almost regretted agreeing to leave. "I believe that if we stick together and stay alert, we'll get out of this mess."

"I sure hope you're right…"

"Was there something else," Phoebe asked as she sensed that Paul was hesitating.

"I was just wondering…"

"Yes?"

"This thing with Cole…"

"What thing? And what business is it of yours?"

"You know you two should get married…no wait a minute, you tried that before…"

"You're a rather rude person, McKail."

"Let's just say I'm a little uncertain about you and Cole's relationship…"

"We don't have a relationship anymore," Phoebe replied too quickly.

"It didn't look like that earlier…in Cole's tent."

Phoebe was tempted to just blow him off and walk faster, but at the same time, she sensed that Paul's intentions might not be as bad as his rudeness seemed to indicate. "If you're worried about Cole…"

"Damn right I am!" Paul exclaimed just a little too loud and the native in front of them turned a reproachful glare towards them. Everyone was very tense among their group. In a calmer voice, Paul pursued, "I don't know you, that's for certain. But I do know your ex-husband, Ms Halliwell…"

"I think at this point, you can call me Phoebe," she interrupted irritably.

"Anyway," Paul continued with a shrug, "he's not as strong as you might think…"

"If Cole heard you saying this, he'd get upset," Phoebe retorted.

"We both know he abhors violence, but it's true that he wouldn't like my comment. However, it's also true that if you hurt him again…"

"Now wait just a minute! I think that you're a little too biased in this story. Cole hurt me first, I'll have you know." Phoebe didn't know why she felt the need to defend herself like this. After all, she shouldn't have had to. Nonetheless, she could see where Paul was going. "Look, I didn't make any promises to him. Same as he didn't make any to me…"

"Should he have?" Paul questioned intensely.

"Again I believe that you should stay out of this. And besides, I've already got a fiancée."

"No offence, but he didn't seem to matter much earlier."

"You don't even know what you're talking about."

"I know that Cole is crazy about you. That I know for sure. It's written all over his face."

At those words, Phoebe couldn't resist looking back, half expecting to find Cole staring at her. However, she felt the beginning of a panic when she realized he wasn't behind them. Most of Chaga's men were ahead except for three of them who were supposed to watch their rear. She had not looked back until now; for fear that Cole might want to continue the discussion about her feelings. She assumed Cole had been following her, but she couldn't see him anywhere. "Where's Cole?"

There was a certain quality to her voice that alerted Paul. "He's right behind us…" He said as he glanced back as well. However, he could find no trace of Cole either.

~~~~~

As the wait prolonged, Cole started to wonder if he had been wrong about this. The last three times, Hector came to him almost as soon as he was alone and he assumed he would do the same this time. However, he had been waiting for the best part of an hour and there still was no sign of his former mentor. For the umpteenth time, he checked the handgun tucked in the back of his pants, along with the tranquilizer gun. Cole had concealed them under his loose fitting shirt. The rifle lay in the grass almost ten feet away. He didn't want Hector to suspect a thing until it was too late. A syringe of Narcan was ready in his pack to counteract the effect of the tranquilizer once he immobilized the older man. His intentions were to incapacitate Hector and then to use Paul's handgun to scare his former teacher into revealing Abner's location. Not only that, but he was convinced that if he held Hector, his accomplices might not be so quick to attack him. Cole knew that the odds were against him but this might be Abner's best chance at the same time as his with Phoebe. If he saved Abner, maybe she wouldn't be so upset with him. 

If that was part of Cole's reasoning, it wasn't his only motivation. He couldn't help feeling guilty for what happened. If he hadn't been Hector's friend, maybe this one wouldn't have come to the preserve and none of these horrors would have occurred. Phoebe and Paul wouldn't be in mortal danger along with the natives who came with them. What's more, he wondered if he had missed the signs of Hector's insanity because of his own feelings on the issue of animal rights. Maybe he could have prevented the worst if he'd noticed Hector's sickness earlier.

"Hector, where the hell are you?" Cole asked himself in a low voice as he surveyed his surroundings nervously. The longer this took, the more likely Phoebe and Paul would come back looking for him. Earlier, he watched Paul rejoining with the group and instead of going after him he headed for the woods, out of sight of the others. At first, Cole feared they would notice his absence, but nobody did. They most likely didn't believe that any of them would choose to remain behind.

Cole almost jumped out of his skin at hearing the voice of his mentor behind him.

"Well, I see you chose to stay…I'm glad you changed your mind."

Cole whirled on himself quickly to face Hector. He tried to keep a calm expression even if he was shaking with anticipation and worry inside. "Hello Hector… You took your jolly time."

"Forgive me for the wait…I had to make sure the others would be far enough that you couldn't interfere…"

"Interfere with what," Cole asked with a sudden bout of fear.

"I didn't want you to get hurt. You made the right decision," Hector pursued without answering Cole's question directly.

"What are you talking about," Cole asked as he slowly reached for the tranquilizer gun.

"You know I can't let them leave, Cole. It seems that your ex-wife doesn't care about her father as much as I thought she did…or did you keep this from Phoebe?"

"What's gonna happen," Cole questioned again tensely.

"You know what's gonna happen, Cole. They're gonna die and together we'll make sure that the wildlife is protected against the monsters."

"Hector you're insane!" Cole exclaimed as he pulled the tranquilizer gun and aimed it at his mentor.

"What do you think you're gonna do with this?" Hector asked without even a hint of worry. 

"Tell me where Abner is and call back your men."

"Or what? You'll put me to sleep? Now, now Cole, I thought you became more reasonable."

"How could you believe I'd agree with what you're doing?"

"It's exactly what we talked about Cole. Man has been surpassed. They no longer are the top of the food chain."

"Hector," Cole insisted threateningly.

"There's nothing you can do, Cole. Soon they'll all be dead. Frankly, I'm glad she didn't stay. Phoebe isn't the right one for you."

"Shut up," Cole shouted, as he began squeezing the trigger. However, before he could finish his move, someone hit him from behind and he fell to the ground, unconscious. Behind him, an almost naked native with strange paintings all over his body stood with a thick stick in his hand. 

"Should I finish him, Bwana?"

"No…he'll come around. He's needed. I won't be around forever." Hector bent toward Cole and grabbed the tranquilizer gun from his hand along with the handgun that was still tucked in his belt. "We're gonna bring him with us."

"What about the others? Won't they come looking for him?"

"They'll never get the chance."

~~~~~~~

Phoebe headed for Chaga as soon as she ascertained that Cole wasn't with them.

"We've got to go back," She said as soon as she reached him.

"Bi I thought you understood the danger…"

"Cole is missing." Phoebe interrupted curtly.

Chaga stared at her with a harsh expression.

"Did you hear me," Phoebe insisted angrily. "Cole's missing. We've got to go back for him."

"With all due respect, Bi Mkubwa," Chaga finally answered coldly, "I believe that the Mganga made his choice. We're not going back for him. He'll get what he deserves when the army comes."

"What are you saying?" Phoebe asked even though she knew what the policeman had in mind. 

"You know perfectly well. He went back to his friend. It's likely that he was always a part of this."

"You're wrong," Phoebe shouted. "Cole isn't a killer. He'd never do that."

"Your judgement is clouded by your feelings, Bi."

"I know I'm right!" Phoebe insisted again.

"I'm not gonna risk any more of my men to save someone who is likely to be the enemy."

"You can't do that!"

"We're leaving as planned, Bi."

Phoebe glared at the man irately for a long moment and then she turned her back to him without another word.

"Where are you going?" Chaga called to her.

"If you won't do anything for Cole, I will. I'm going after him with or without you."

"It's your choice, Bi. But none of my men will go with you."

"I don't care," Phoebe shot back.

Paul had followed her at a slower pace but still quickly enough to hear most of the conversation. He was appalled at Chaga's intransigence. "I'm going with her." He told the policeman. Phoebe was beside him by then but she barely acknowledged his presence before heading back toward the camp. "You're wrong about Cole. He's not a killer," Paul tried again for the policeman.

"I'm not going to risk my men's lives based on your intuition, Bwana."

Paul glared at the man and then he turned his heels decisively to follow Phoebe. 

Meanwhile, Faraji took in the implication of what he just heard. He hesitated only a moment before turning around to follow Phoebe and Paul in turn. When he saw that his two remaining men seemed ambiguous about this, Faraji signalled for them to stay behind. He would go with the Bi as it was his duty, but he couldn't force his men to come along. 

"You're all crazy," Chaga called to them before he signalled for the remaining people to follow him. 

~~~~~~~

Phoebe, Paul and Faraji had been walking in silence for almost ten minutes. Paul saw the fear mixing in with the determination in Phoebe's expression. "What do you think happened?"

"I don't know. I…we've got no time to lose. Maybe we'll find him somewhere on the trail. His wound might still be bothering him."

"You don't believe…" Paul asked hesitantly.

"You don't believe that either," Phoebe shot back intently. "Not if you really are his friend."

"I heard that you suspected Cole at first," Paul argued mildly.

"I was wrong. Now we've gotta find him."

"What if…"

"No!" Phoebe almost shouted as she cast an angry glance Paul's way. "He's alive and we'll find him."

Paul kept silent for another five minutes, while they made their way quickly. Then, he spoke again. "You love him don't you?"

"Now's not the time to talk about this," Phoebe replied quickly without looking at him.

"I know but…I just wanted to say I'm sorry for being so hard on you earlier…"

"All that matters is that we find Cole."

"Maybe we should've insisted with Chaga. I don't think it's very safe to go running back on our own."

"If you're worried, you can still turn back," Phoebe said harshly.

"I was just saying…"

Phoebe shrugged impatiently and then she walked faster, more worried by the moment. "Where are you, Cole" she asked herself for the umpteenth time. Then she suddenly stopped. Up until now, she'd been so worried about Cole that she was only looking for any sign of him. However, she became aware of the strange silence of the jungle with a sinking feeling.

"What is it," Paul questioned behind her.

"Shhhh," Phoebe uttered imperatively as she observed the forest intently. At first, she saw nothing at all, but then she spotted a shadow running from one tree to another. It had moved so fast that she didn't get a good look at it. "Prepare yourself," she said nervously, even as she cocked her own rifle. "Faraji…go warn the others," Phoebe added for her bearer. This one didn't need to ask what about and he ran back toward Chaga and his men.

Paul began scanning their surroundings anxiously. His heart was beating so hard, he thought it would burst out of his chest at that point. "Shouldn't we go with Faraji?" He asked. However, Phoebe didn't answer. She was staring at the forest and stood very still. Paul was about to try convincing her to go back when he also saw a shadow rushing by in the woods, merely twenty feet from them. "Oh my god," he whispered to himself while lifting his rifle with trembling hands.


	13. Second Sight Chapter 12

** Chapter XII**

Chaga jumped when he heard the shots and he immediately regretted not insisting the Americans stay with them. He was still firmly convinced that Cole was entangled in this awful tragedy, but no matter how misguided he thought the others were, it didn't change the fact that he owed them his protection. He only hesitated for a fraction of a second before ordering his men to turn back. None of them protested, but Chaga could see the dread in their eyes. The policeman had no difficulty sympathizing with them, as he was also uncomfortable with engaging this unseen enemy. 

There were only three detonations, a few seconds apart, and then a heavy silence fell before they made their way up the trail anxiously. They only went about two hundred meters before the first of Chaga's men was taken so fast that none of the others could react or see what got him. They heard his chilling screams for a few seconds and then nothing. All around them, as they formed a defensive circle, the jungle stood perfectly still. 

"Stay sharp," Chaga ordered his men, but their fright was overwhelming and they were nearing a panic state. 

"Sahib, what is this?" The man nearest Chaga questioned him fearfully.

"Whatever it is, we've got guns and know how. Stay calm," Chaga replied with as much confidence as he could muster under the circumstances. The silence prolonged agonizingly and at some point, Chaga believed that the attacker or attackers left. He was about to signal for his men to depart when a loud roar was heard coming from the jungle. Then another came in response from the other side of the trail. There was something unnatural about these roars. Chaga knew of most sounds made by animals, but he never heard something so frightening. A growl came from much nearer and Chaga began to wonder when it was answered by another coming from a different direction. It was almost as if the beasts were communicating; synchronizing their attack. Then suddenly, the strangest beast he'd ever seen jumped out of the woods and launched at the man who'd just spoken. It came so fast, if Chaga hadn't been watching for it, he might not have seen it all. Without any more hesitation, he discharged his weapon, as did many of his men. However if he hit the beast, this one didn't even show signs of slowing down as it dragged his man into the woods screaming and crying. More screams of fright and pain erupted from behind Chaga and then, again, the silence enveloped them as his men and he stopped shooting. The beast he'd just seen was at least seven feet tall with broad shoulders and a body obviously made of solid muscles. It ran on its hind legs but pounced like a big cat. Its fur was white as snow and it vaguely resembled a gorilla's. However, Chaga was certain he'd never seen an ape like that. The little he caught of its face was more that of a feline than one of an ape's. For its size, the animal ran faster than any he'd ever seen. Chaga barely had time to notice those details before it disappeared into the woods. When the policeman glanced at his men, he was appalled to count three more missing, in addition to the one who had been standing beside him. 

For a moment that felt like an eternity, Chaga could barely breathe, so shaken he was. When he managed to think clearly enough, he supposed that if his men, as well armed as they were, still couldn't escape those beasts, the Americans must be dead by then. At this point, he had to think of his own men, or rather the ones that were left. "We're leaving," he announced in a shaky voice. "Now!" He shouted next, and then he headed back down the trail, showing the way to the others, who followed him without hesitation. Chaga could only hope that the beasts were gone for a while and that they might out distance them. Even as he ran, he reloaded his gun, same as the others did, but Chaga knew that it might not matter if the strange animals attacked again…

~~~~~~

"I got it," Phoebe exclaimed as she started toward a point about a hundred metres from where she stood. Faraji had stopped, as if paralysed, only mere feet from that location.

"You knew it would go after Faraji, didn't you? You used him as bait!" Paul called to her angrily as he followed her. He glanced around them anxiously as he went. Phoebe's triumphant exclamation wasn't enough to make him feel safe. Even if she was right and she hit the animal, or whatever that thing was, there might be others lurking about. 

"I couldn't be certain if the attackers understood what I was saying. We were about to be massacred and I figured that whether it was animal or human, it would certainly go for the lone one," Phoebe offered as a mild excuse for her questionable tactic. She knew she had taken a big risk with her bearer's life. However, she sincerely believed that this was the best way to take the advantage of things and she was proven right. At least, she believed it to be so until she reached the spot where the beast fell. "Where is it," Phoebe exclaimed in total disbelief as she surveyed the surroundings but found no trace of the animal. 

Paul headed for Faraji, who was obviously still under the shock. As he was running back like Phoebe ordered him to, the bearer heard the first and the second shot and then he turned around to see what was going on. That's when he saw the beast coming at him so fast that he knew there was no escape. Faraji didn't even have time to lift his weapon before the third detonation exploded and the beast suddenly fell back into the woods and out of sight. "Are you ok," Paul questioned solicitously.

Before Faraji could answer however, they heard more shots in the distance and possibly screaming, although it was too far off for them to be certain. Paul, who had been about to suggest they rejoin with Chaga and his men, exclaimed, "They're under attack!"

After a few seconds of intense firing, the jungle became very quiet again. "Do you think?" Paul began, but he was unable to finish the thought. He remembered the bodies at the bottom of the ravine and the ones from last night's attack with mounting horror. At this point, Paul longed for his luxurious house back in America more than ever before. "What the hell am I doing here," he uttered in a low shaky voice.

"You really had no business coming here, McKail. But now that you're with us, I need you to calm down," Phoebe told him almost harshly. The situation was getting more desperate by the moment and panicking would not help them. 

"Calm down," Paul suddenly exclaimed. "Calm down," he repeated incredulously. "Those men were armed and trained and for all we know, they're being eaten by those beasts right now."

"First off, I haven't seen any evidence that the beasts eat their prey so far. On the contrary…and that's what makes them the strangest predators. At any rate, it's possible that Chaga's men just killed one or more of them."

"What makes you think they're not all dead just like the others?"

"Look," Phoebe replied irritably, "I've managed to scare one away. This means they are vulnerable. We can't start acting like some superstitious indigenous. Whatever these things are, they can be killed." All the while, she was still staring at the ground, and stirring the vegetation with the barrel of her rifle.

"You just said you believed you hit one and yet, it's not there," Paul protested.

"I did hit it," Phoebe confirmed calmly. She was indicating a spot on the ground with her rifle and Paul came closer to see what she meant by that. 

While Faraji stayed behind, still shocked from his near fatal encounter with the beast, Paul headed toward Phoebe. When he got there, Paul wasn't certain what he was looking at, but as he bent closer, he saw a darker area in the packed dirt. He dipped his fingers in the middle of it and saw that they were tainted dark red when he pulled them out. "Blood?"

"See, it's not a myth. It's a living, breathing animal; and as such, it can be killed."

"But it's not here," Paul countered.

"It's hurt and now we can follow the trail of blood," Phoebe said as she pointed at another smaller dark spot next to the first one. She also saw something else at that point and frowned.

"What is it," Paul questioned nervously. No matter what Phoebe said, those beasts, vulnerable or not, were still deadly.

"Those tracks," Phoebe trailed uncertainly. 

"What about them?"

"They're unlike anything I've seen before. They look like…" Phoebe stopped there and without another word, she followed the apparent blood trail for about ten feet.

"What is it," Paul repeated with a hint of irritation. He wanted to go back right now and, if possible, help Chaga and his men, but at the same time, he recognized that knowing more about those beasts might be useful.

"The tracks…" Phoebe began hesitantly, "they look feline…"

"I only saw a glimpse of this animal, but even from the distance, it didn't look like a big cat." Paul countered.

"The tracks don't lie," Phoebe retorted with a hint of annoyance.

"Well, if you say so…but I don't see what's so weird about that... I mean, there are big cats around here."

"I said they looked like big cats' tracks; but there's something very strange about them."

Paul came closer and again he bent toward the ground, searching for whatever was troubling Phoebe so. "I'm not the expert, I'll admit that much, but these do look like the tracks a tiger or a leopard would leave."

"Don't you see?" Phoebe questioned. Without waiting for an answer, she squatted down and indicated an area just behind one of the tracks. "First off, there appears to be five claws facing forward and…"

"And what?"

"The rest of the track looks human."

"Ok, I don't see what the problem is here… Maybe some indigenous came this way and the beast walked in his footprints…"

"No you don't understand. The weight distribution is all wrong and if what you suggest is true, what are the odds that this beast walked in each ones of the human's steps?"

Paul turned to her with a dubious expression. "What the hell are you saying?"

"I'm not saying anything, McKail. I'm just as puzzled as you are. I too got a glimpse of the beast and I don't believe it to be a big cat either."

"So?"

"These tracks are telling a story that I don't understand. There's nothing that makes tracks like these. Nothing at all."

Paul took a deep breath, while he allowed this new troubling mystery to sink in. However, no matter how hard he tried to remain calm, he could feel panic mounting inside of him. "As much as I wish to find Cole, I don't believe he could have survived an attack by this beast," He finally said in a low voice. "I think we should go back and help those who still have a chance."

"I'm not going back," Phoebe replied firmly.

"Didn't you hear what I've just said? I understand how hard it must be to accept but…"

"Cole's still alive. I'm sure of it."

"Oh please! Don't we have enough of this weirdness going on around here? You can't tell me you feel it."

Phoebe gave him an annoyed glance before answering calmly, "I believe he's alive because Hector wanted him to survive."

"What makes you so sure he didn't change his mind?"

"He told Cole last night in his tent," Phoebe admitted hesitantly.

"What? Hector came to Cole last night? How do you know?"

"Cole told me…"

"Why wouldn't he have told us?"

"I think he worried that we'd suspect him if he did."

"Why isn't he with us?"

Phoebe frowned irritably. "I think he put that in his head that Hector would let him near him and…"

"Cole could try reasoning with him or…"

"Or kill him…" Phoebe finished.

Both of them fell silent at this point, lost in unpleasant thoughts, and they jumped at Faraji's haunted exclamation. "Shaitani!" (Devil) 

Phoebe glanced intently at her bearer. Faraji was obviously terrified. Phoebe wanted to tell him he was wrong, that the beast was no devil; but at the same time, she couldn't help feeling that something utterly unnatural was going on. 

Paul took a few shallow breaths, just as shocked by the appellation as Phoebe was and then he started again, "we should still go back. Cole may have a chance to survive and as we first decided, we could send in the army and get him out. In revenge, I doubt if we're safe."

"What if Cole really tries to hurt Hector and he turns against him? Besides, if Chaga and his men managed to escape, they'll send in reinforcements soon. If not, then our best bet is to find those beasts and surprise them rather than waiting for them to attack. We might have a small chance of succeeding then."

"You're crazy. They're too fast and too strong. We'll never survive if we go after them."

"Feel free to go back, McKail. In fact, you can both leave if you wish. I'm following this trail. I believe it's the best chance any of us has."

"How can you expect to succeed where so many failed?"

"What would you prefer? Going after them and maybe ending this threat; or running away and becoming their prey?"

"There's still a chance that we might outrun them…"

"I believe that they've been tracking us. We won't get to the bottom alive. They won't allow it. I'm telling you; our best chance is to go forward and throw them off balance by taking back the advantage. We're humans…we're hunters."

"At least you are." Paul replied dejectedly.

"What's it gonna be," Phoebe questioned tensely.

Paul swallowed hard as he gazed down the trail and then back at the tracks of the strange animal. "I guess I'll stick with you."

"Faraji," Phoebe asked as she turned to the native.

This one reluctantly peeled his eyes from the tracks. "I don't believe that one may kill the Devil, but I won't die running away."

Once more, Phoebe was tempted to correct Faraji's perception of the beast, but she figured there was no point and if the native intended to come along in spite of his fears, she had better leave it at that for the moment. At any rate, she was certain that if they succeeded, Faraji would get the proof that these animals were not devilish creatures. "Let's go then," she said instead before starting on the trail left by the wounded animal.

Paul and Faraji hesitated but they still followed her after a beat.

~~~~~~~~

The throbbing pain in Cole's head was the first sign he got that he wasn't dead. God wouldn't be so cruel and let him suffer after his death, now would he? The nausea that accompanied his crushing headache was the possible sign of a concussion. Not a big surprise considering it was the second time in as many days someone tried to crack his skull. He vaguely wondered if they had succeeded this time as he tried to move with a groan of pain. He had been so absorbed in his self clinical evaluation that he only then realized he was sitting rather than lying down and that his hands were tied behind him around what he knew must be a tree from the unpleasant scraping of the bark on his arms and back. When he finally opened his eyes, he saw that he was at the edge of a small clearing but that no one seemed about. 

Could they have left him there to die? Cole tried to stand up while pulling on his bounds but he fell back almost immediately as much from another wave of nausea mixed in with dizziness as from his inability to break free of the leather rope that dug in his wrists. "If that's what they intended, they might just get what they wished for," he grumbled unhappily. "Hector," he tried a little louder. "Where the hell are you, you son of a bitch?" 

"And here I thought we were friends," Hector answered from somewhere behind Cole. 

"Show yourself asshole!"

"Maybe if you lay off the insults..."

"How about you stop the killings!"

"You don't understand, Cole," Hector almost pleaded as he passed Cole and entered the clearing. 

Cole glared at him, although not as intensely as he'd have wanted. Any effort brought back the throbbing in his head and this outburst had cost him. 

"Well, at least you still got your wits about yourself," Hector commented calmly. "For a while there, I thought Mosi hit you too hard. It's not really his fault. He doesn't know his own strength very well."

"When you're about done telling me your lackey's life story, maybe you could tell me what I'm doing here."

"I told you, Cole. I need you. They need you…"

"Who's "they"? Those bloodthirsty monsters of yours?"

Hector turned away from Cole, ignoring the last question altogether as he called to this Mosi he referred to. The native came into view bearing a rudimentary bowl filled with water. Cole was tall, but he was certain that this black man could dwarf him. He must have been more than six and a half feet tall. He had rippling muscles all over his nearly naked body. Although those characteristics were striking, it was the subtle but definite simian features of his face that caught Cole's full attention. 

"Don't stare at him," Hector suddenly warned. 

Cole reluctantly peeled his eyes away from the native. "Are you gonna answer me?"

"Drink and then we'll talk."

"Untie me first."

"I don't know if I can trust you," Hector replied suspiciously.

"You say you need me," Cole replied curtly. "I don't believe I can be of any help to you if I can't use my hands."

Hector still hesitated a moment longer and then he bent toward Cole with a warning, "Don't believe that you can escape or hurt me. Mosi would be on you even before you thought about it."

Cole gave another serious glance toward the strange native while Hector cut his bounds swiftly with a hunting knife. "How do I know you're not trying to drug me?" Cole asked then as he took the bowl gingerly. "Or that you haven't already for that matter."

"I heard of your little theory, Cole. I'm not trying to drug you. Drink!"

Cole fiddled with the bowl some more but deep down he had to admit that he was parched. He swallowed half the water before returning his attention to his old friend. "How long have I been unconscious?"

"Maybe two hours or so…"

"What have you done to the others?" Cole suddenly exploded. Up until then, he had still suffered from confusion, but now he remembered not only what he had meant to do, but that Phoebe and the others might be in danger.

"I can't tell you."

"You can't or you won't?" Cole asked angrily as he made another attempt at standing up. This time, it was the native who kept him where he was by pressing on his shoulders forcefully with his unnaturally large hands.

"Tell your monkey to let go of me," Cole snapped.

The native shoved him to the ground as if he was no heavier than a child and Cole hit the packed dirt hard, groaning in pain anew.

"I suggest you show more respect to Mosi. He's not the patient sort."

"You know how to choose your bodyguards…is he one of those killers?"

"He's part of what I want to talk to you about. I need you to listen. Do it as a favour for old time's sake."

Cole slowly sat back under the glaring stare of the native. "I don't think there's anything you can say that will change my mind about you. I hate what you've become, Hector. You're only excuse is that you must've gone insane."

"Not so, Cole." Hector paused and signalled to Mosi. To Cole's relief the native moved away from them. "I've just followed our reasoning. You wanna know what Mosi is?"

"He's a big ass native with a temper. I've got eyes to see," Cole replied irritably. "Not to mention the bruises and the headache…"

"He's a chimera…" Hector dropped, interrupting Cole.

"A what?" Cole exclaimed while turning instinctively toward the native, now standing on the other side of the clearing.

"A creation; a creation made by mad men. The same men we used to fight."

"You're gonna have to explain yourself better than that," Cole retorted impatiently. "If he's the result of a mutation or…"

"An experiment. He's the result of a horrible and heartless experiment."

"No offence, but he doesn't seem to be suffering much…unlike his victims." Cole spat.

"Mosi didn't kill anyone. He only assists me in taking care of his brothers and sisters."

"What? There are more like him?"

"Not exactly like him…Are you gonna listen? Because I've got a story for you and if you still think I'm a mad man afterward, then so be it."

"Mad man or not, you're still a killer," Cole countered mildly. However, by then his curiosity was aroused and he figured he might as well learn as much as he could about what was going on if he was to stop it. "But go ahead. I've always been one to love a good fairytale."

"This is no fairytale, Cole…"

Cole waited while Hector remained silent for a long moment. Then as Cole was about to urge him to talk, Hector sat in the dirt in front of him and began his tale. "As you well know, I've devoted my life to protecting the animals, the same as you. Surely, you also remember where I came from and why I became such a passionate defender of the animals…"

"The drug experimentations…"

"There was more to it. I've never told you about the worst of what I've been a part to. What prompted me to leave the laboratory was another kind of experiments, which were so unethical and horrible that I didn't wanna be a part of them anymore. However, as much as I wished I could do something against my former employers, they were too powerful and I'd have accomplished nothing before they had me disappear."

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about the vilest of animal and even human abuse. Those men and women had no scruples whatsoever; they were working at creating the perfect soldier for the army. Not a public branch of the army mind you, but rather a deep underground outfit, working under the radar even to this day. They are the powerful people who really lead our forces. They have almost unlimited funding to accomplish their goal. This consists of searching the world for the most powerful weapons; mechanical, chemical and yes, biological. There are no limits, no boundaries to their quest. They act under the principle that the security of their country supersedes any moral objections." 

"You're talking about the United States here? Our country is against the unethical development and use of weapons," Cole protested mildly. In truth, he always suspected that all wasn't white even within his country.

"That's the illusion they want you to buy into. The truth is much uglier. Look at him, Cole. Look at Mosi and tell me that you don't see something wrong with him."

"As I said, it could be a deformity…"

"He was created this way. Mosi was born to be stronger, faster than any man alive. However, even that wasn't enough for them…"

"Who's them? The people you used to work with?"

"Yes, with the help of some unscrupulous and influential African men with the ear of their leader, who arranged for my former employers to be provided with the facilities and the samples needed to create not only Mosi, but also his brothers and sisters…"

"Samples?"

"DNA from a variety of species…including humans'."

"Wait," Cole interrupted with a quick intake of breath. "Are you telling me they were doing human genetic manipulations? It's impossible. Many tried and failed before it was outlawed."

"They didn't fail, Cole. They just went underground and got paid millions… billions to continue their work. Mosi is the living proof of that."

"You're delusional. You saw a deformity and in your sick mind, you made up all this crap!"

"I wish it were true Cole. Maybe not so many people would have to die because of it."

"So you admit it? You've caused all those deaths?" Cole questioned, appalled as he had still vaguely hoped that his friend wasn't responsible.

"I didn't kill anyone. I even tried to stop it."

"You just said they're with you…"

"They're my children. Sometimes children don't listen to their parents. One day you might know about it if you live long enough."

"Is that a threat?"

Hector gave him a sad glance. "In the end, I saw the necessity for their actions, Cole. I can't let you destroy them. They only want to be left in peace."

"Peace? Don't you mean they want to tear people to pieces? I've seen their handiwork, Hector. That wasn't peaceful."

"They were protecting themselves and the animals at the same time. I thought you'd understand."

"Understand? Hector for god sake. I worked with you to save animals from abuse. That's where it stopped. I never would've agreed to kill people for that."

"Do you remember our conversations about predators? And how we both wished man was faced with one he couldn't fight?"

"Those were idle talks, mostly inspired by booze, Hector. You know perfectly well that it was impossible anyway."

"Not impossible but all too true… And the irony is that man is the one who created such a predator."

"I don't wanna burst your bubble here Hector, but this man looks like any other man. Bigger maybe, but I've heard of weirder things."

"Not him. I told you they considered him a failure."

"Then who?"

Hector was about to answer this when a wailing sound came from the forest, followed by a deep growl that sent chilled Cole to the bone in spite of the ambient heat. "What was that?"

Hector didn't answer and instead he turned to Mosi with obvious anxiety, again gesturing him but this time in the direction of the alarming sounds. "You're about to meet the ultimate predators," Hector said with confidence in spite of the frown of worry on his forehead. "For all the mistakes those men did, they created the most perfect beings," Hector added with what sounded like pride in his voice.

"They're killers, Hector."

"They could be the next step in evolution." Hector replied, unabated.

Cole was about to attempt a protestation when another wail resounded, much nearer this time. Then, Mosi re-entered the clearing, soon followed by three of the strangest animals Cole ever saw. He knew then for a fact that these were not natural. However, before he had time to speculate about them, Hector urged him to help. "Poni is hurt; you've gotta do something."

"What the hell? You expect me to help one of these monsters?"

"I expect you to do what you do best; which is healing, Cole. If Poni dies, then they won't just kill your ex-wife. They will torture her to no end until she begs for death."

"Where's Phoebe," Cole questioned, while Hector's obvious threat sent another chill running through him. "Do you have her?"

Mosi came closer and spoke to Hector covertly for a few seconds. "No we don't have her…yet. But as I suspected, she's the one who shot Poni." 

"What the hell did you expect, Hector? Did you really believe they could continue killing with impunity?"

"I guess it's too soon for you to understand, Cole."

"I'll never understand, Hector."

Another lament from the beast, now lying on the ground, caught his attention. There was something so human about this cry, even coming out of this feline mouth. However, short of the upright stance of the other two, Cole could hardly see anything human in them. They looked more like gigantic apes. So much so that he wondered how they could accomplish the stealth they displayed to enter their camp the night before. Yet, as he watched them, he noticed their fluid movements even in their excited state. They were glancing back and forth, obviously waiting for him or Hector to do something. "I can't help those. Even if I wanted to, I wouldn't know where to start." Cole uttered uncertainly. 

"Are you willing to try? I'll talk you through some of it. I'm not a doctor, but I know their physiology."

"Why Hector? If you know what they're doing, why are you with them? Why protect them?"

"There were six of them at first… When the men who paid for the experience arrived after the creatures matured, they brought a platoon of highly trained soldiers along. According to Mosi, they organized an exercise designed to test the chimeras. These were not purposefully violent at first. In spite of their size and the fact that they reached adulthood already, they were still like children discovering the world. You have to know that it takes them only a year to reach puberty and another to become adults. However, when they were faced with those soldiers, reality hit them hard. The chimeras were sent in the woods and given a head start of a few minutes. Then the platoon went after them. At first, the chimeras easily dodged the soldiers and thought they were playing some kind of hide and seek game with them. That is until one of them was shot; one of the females. The other chimeras reacted accordingly, turning their full potential against the soldiers. Within a few minutes, there wasn't a single one of the men sent after them left alive…"

"Holy shit! This is impossible. But even if it's true, how come those powerful men let them go and did nothing to catch them since?"

"The chimeras didn't stop at the soldiers. They knew that they would be hunted down. In order to prevent that, they went back to the compound and freed the other "lesser" chimeras like Mosi. Then, they all went after the scientists and their military employers. Before they left the compound for good, they burned everything; all traces of their existence and of their creators. However, you're right in thinking that someone might come after them eventually. That's why they've been hiding ever since, surviving in the wild until Mosi came to me for help."

"What the hell did they need your help for?" Cole asked with obvious disgust not only for what those beasts had done, but also for the scientists' doing.

"They were dying of a strange disease which they didn't understand. I found that it was a failsafe built into their genetic make up. The ones that died were five years old, which seems to be the breaking point for them. These are three years old and I'm here to help them."

"I don't know why you'd want to."

"I believe I'm close to a solution, Cole. And the reason why I'm helping them is simple. They were treated unjustly and much more than this, they're special, precious."

"More like a nightmare…"

"They were given life but no chance to enjoy it. I may fail in my attempt to save them but at least I'll have tried. And if I don't succeed, I want them to have a peaceful end. That won't happen unless they're left alone."

"They should've thought of that before killing people for no reasons."

"It wasn't senseless, Cole. They were protecting themselves and their territory. Just the same as any wild animals you treat in your clinic every day. Do you deny those animals treatment because they are what they are?"

"I won't have man-eaters on my preserve."

"So you really were willing to let those tigers die at Phoebe's hands? You disappoint me, Cole."

Strangely enough, and even coming from his deluded friend, this comment struck a nerve with Cole. Even if he knew that he had justifications, it didn't change the fact that killing those tigers went against everything he believed in. 

Another cry followed by an impatient growl coming from one of the unhurt chimeras caught Cole's attention anew. "I can't do this," he tried unconvincingly while shaking his head in disbelief that he was considering helping those monsters. However, yet another cry, this time louder and more pleading, got him to stand up on shaky legs and to give another long look at the animals. At this point, in spite of his fear and disgust for what they had done, he also began to feel a strange compassion for their plight. Hector was right for one thing. They had no place to go in this world. The only ones who might show any interest in them would be the military and only to use and study them. This brought back all the talks he and Hector used to have about using animals for the wrong reasons and this one had to be the worst. Yet, even as he took a few steps toward the chimeras, Cole continued hesitating. "If I do this…or at least try to do something…you've got to promise me that the killings will stop."

"I can't…"

Cole turned abruptly toward his old friend. "I won't save this beast just so that she'll kill the woman I love and my friends. You can't ask me to do that."

Hector stared back at him intently for a few seconds before he returned his attention to the wounded chimera. "I'll talk to them, but you have to help her now."

"I need to be certain, Hector," Cole insisted, shutting his ears with difficulty to the renewed cries of pain.

Hector gestured toward Mosi and the native came to him. "The Mganga agrees to help them but only with some guaranties…"

Immediately, Mosi's expression changed to an even darker one. "The woman hunter, she's the one who hurt my dada (sister)," he replied curtly. "We have to defend ourselves."

"What if the Mganga promises she won't try to hurt any of you again?"

"Hector," Cole protested.

"You want them to stop, Cole. You can't expect them to line up to be shot."

"What guaranty do I have they didn't already kill Phoebe and the others?"

"Their word," Hector answered laconically.

"The word of animals?" Cole questioned dubiously.

Mosi turned a furious glare toward him. "Your woman is alive."

"Honorable killers…" Cole uttered sarcastically.

"Will you help Poni?"

Cole wondered what his desire to help made him as he sustained the native's stare. Was it wrong of him to feel for those beasts? Was he betraying his friends, his kind even by helping those who would kill humans without apparent remorse? Then again, even Phoebe used to kill animals without feeling remorse. Maybe if he helped them now, the bloodshed would finally stop. "Even if I knew where to start, I don't have any supplies…"

Mosi quickly glanced at Hector before rushing off and coming back almost immediately with a heavy bag in hands. Inside the bag were various instruments, all carefully packaged and obviously sterile. These came with a very complete emergency pharmacy. "There's almost more in there than in my clinic. Where did you…"

"Never mind that," Hector interrupted. "You've got to help Poni now."

Cole shrugged irritably but he still followed Mosi towards the beasts. The chimeras were even more imposing from up close, but neither of the two still standing made any move against him. Cole even thought he saw something akin to pleading in their eyes, as much as one could tell from those feline features. The first thing he did was to fill a syringe with a strong tranquilizer and, as he bent toward the wounded animal to inject her, he heard another growl, this one, he was certain, distrustful. "I'm not gonna hurt her," Cole offered as calmly as he could even though sweat began to bead on his forehead. 

Mosi spoke up in a strange tongue at this point. It was a mixture of words and growls that Cole assumed was the language the animals understood. For his part, he couldn't make out any of it. Indeed, as he looked up, he saw them slowly moving away from him, although they kept their large shiny eyes fixated on him until they left the clearing altogether. "Now work," Mosi said as he turned to him at last.

Cole didn't like the imperative tone of voice, but he still went to work. Meanwhile, Mosi returned toward Hector and this one whispered, "are they gonna do it?"

"They will kill them all. Are you sure the Mganga won't turn against us?"

"He's just a little skittish. Cole will come around. His feelings for the Bi made him forget his beliefs for a while, but I'm sure it's coming back to him now."

"If not, he'll have to die too."

"I know…" Hector trailed unhappily.

"Hector," Cole called, "I need your help here."

Hector gave another intense gaze at the native, and then he went to help Cole.


	14. Second Sight Chapter 13

  


****

Chapter XIII

"Are you sure we had to put this stuff on?" Paul questioned with obvious disgust as he looked down at himself. His face and hands were covered in charcoal along with parts of his clothing where he sweated the most. The sensation was utterly uncomfortable for a city boy like himself. Phoebe was leading their small expedition while Faraji kept to their rear with obvious jumpiness, as he trained his gun left and right of the trail constantly. 

"The less they can smell us, the better and this stuff neutralizes most of our body odors," Phoebe explained as she half-turned her blackened face toward him and then returned her full attention to the tracks even as she pursued, "Besides, it's almost evening and this will also soon constitute a visual camouflage. We should put all the chances on our side. Now please keep it down."

"Are you sure there are three of them?" Paul couldn't help asking again.

Phoebe sighed as she gave another quick glance toward the millionaire, "As far as I can tell, yes. Now if you want to invite them to the party, be my guest."

"Alright," Paul replied with a frown. "I'm sorry; I talk when I get nervous."

"I'm guessing you're really nervous then," Phoebe answered curtly. She had barely finished saying this when she stopped abruptly and stared at the ground in silence. 

"What is it?" Paul questioned anxiously.

"Human tracks…They were carrying something heavy. It mixes with the beasts' tracks from here. I think we're getting close."

"Oh the joy," Paul commented unhappily, mostly to himself. Phoebe still heard and she cast a disapproving glance his way before continuing up the trail. Paul made the annoyed gesture of figuratively zipping his lips. In truth, he was becoming irritated with Phoebe. As a man used to leading, this was quickly becoming untenable. However, as much as he wished to correct this situation, deep down, Paul knew that Phoebe was their best chance of succeeding; or even just surviving. This was the only reason why he didn't protest against her bossy attitude so far. Right then, he wished he knew more about hunting in these parts. That way, he might not feel so dependent on the woman that was leading them. His train of thoughts was interrupted when he spotted Phoebe suddenly crouching behind a bush and signaling imperatively for him and Faraji to do the same. Paul was tempted to ask what it was about, but he figured that it would just get him another dirty look. Besides, Phoebe was already indicating a gap in the vegetation. Cautiously, Paul leaned forward. When he managed to see what had caught Phoebe's attention, he almost exclaimed in surprise. There, in the clearing just beyond the bush that concealed them, Cole was bending over an animal, obviously busy treating it. Hector was crouching on the opposite side of the animal, concentrating on the procedure as well. It wasn't hard for Paul to recognize the animal, even though he only caught a glimpse of it earlier. It was one of those monsters and now, Cole was treating what was no doubt the gun shot wound Phoebe inflicted on it. Paul turned a disbelieving gaze toward Phoebe, but she acted as if she didn't notice. Although her apparent lack of reaction bothered him, Paul supposed that she was preparing a plan of some sort and he elected not to comment right away. 

In truth, Phoebe was trying to wrap her mind around what she'd just witnessed. Even if she didn't show this to Paul or Faraji, the sight of Cole helping one of the animals had been a shock for her. Her first reaction was to feel betrayed beyond words. How could he be helping killers? Had Chaga been right about Cole after all? Was he in on this whole mess from the start? Was Cole's denial about his involvement in Abner's death a trick? Mostly, how could she still feel the way she did about him in the face of such apparent duplicity? However, while Paul watched the clearing with the same obvious line of thoughts, Phoebe began to see how things might not be as bleak as they appeared. Maybe Cole was forced to help them under duress. They might be threatening him right this moment even if she couldn't see anyone else in the clearing. Then, as she was debating the possibilities, this latest fact struck her. She realized with a start that two of the beasts were missing. 

Reflexively, Phoebe turned toward Faraji, who was keeping watch intently, and then to their surroundings, as she half-expected an attack at any moment. She then signaled for both Paul and Faraji to follow her while remaining low. These didn't protest as they put some distance between them and the clearing. Phoebe led them toward a thicker bush about twenty-five meters away. "Ok Faraji, I want you to stay here with McKail. Stay out of sight and watch the trail."

"What about you?" Paul whispered, as he was still fearful of being heard.

"I'm gonna search the area surrounding the clearing. I wanna make sure those beasts are gone before we go in to rescue Cole."

"Are you sure Cole needs rescuing? He didn't look like much of a prisoner to me," Paul replied seriously.

Phoebe kept silent for a moment, debating whether she should share her own doubts or not, but instead she firmly answered, "Cole must've good reasons to be doing this. Maybe Hector offered a truce in exchange for his help or maybe, he's simply threatening him. You're his friend, you should know better…"

"You were his wife and you suspected him too." 

Phoebe glared at Paul for a few more seconds and then she turned her back to him, soon disappearing into the jungle. Paul watched her going with a malaise at the pit of his stomach, and he couldn't tell whether it was because she was leaving them or because he feared he was right about Cole. It wasn't difficult to imagine Cole choosing to side with an animal over a human. However, Paul knew that his suspicions were born out of fear more than any rational thinking. Paul forced himself to remember that Cole and he had been friends for years and that Cole would most certainly not choose to risk Paul's life, let alone his ex-wife's, even for his precious cause. As Paul arrived to this shaky conclusion, he and Faraji hid in the bush as instructed and they waited for Phoebe's return anxiously.  
~~~~~~~~  
The sun was coming down on the compound for the third time since Cole and the others departed and there was still no news from the hunting party. Neither did Kathy have any luck in raising Paul on the sat phone since he left. She watched the horizon pensively. Was there a good reason for their lack of response to her numerous attempts at reaching them? Mwaka seemed to think that the phone might just be out of range, but Kathy couldn't help imagining the worse. Three of Chaga's men had stayed behind, almost constantly patrolling the perimeter. Their presence alone was reminder enough of the danger that lurked in the jungle. Nothing happened since Paul and Chaga left, but Kathy was still fearful and now, she was also afraid for Paul and his party. In the little time she had known him, Kathy had already grown very fond of Paul. What's more, he gave her the impression that this sentiment was shared before he had to leave abruptly. Now she wondered if they would ever get a chance to see where it might have led. 

"Still worried Bi Mkubwa?" Mwaka questioned while stopping a few steps behind her.

"Didn't I ask you to call me Kathy," this one answered distractedly without peeling her eyes from the horizon.

The native lifted a corner of his mouth in a half-hearted smile, but it quickly died off without her noticing. He knew that the Bi's worries were far from unfounded. So far, Mwaka had tried his best to be reassuring since it was obvious Kathy might not need much more to go over the edge. Many times during the last two days, she called the authorities in town and even directly to the American Embassy, hoping they could pressure the government in sending more help. Her efforts had not been successful and Mwaka sensed that the Bi was now as much frustrated as she was worried. "I'm a formal kind of guy, as I told you many times…"

"I don't know Cole very well, but I doubt if he went for those formal manners either." 

Mwaka noticed the strangely reproachful edge to her voice but he also knew that the circumstances were responsible for her tenseness. Nevertheless, maybe for the same reasons, Mwaka wasn't ready to give up on his ways just yet. They were reassuring to him and right then, anything that did that was welcome. "Everybody learns to adapt one way or another. Maybe I will too in time, but I still feel more comfortable with my own ways." Mwaka replied in a soft but firm tone of voice.

Kathy gave up on the subject right away. At any rate, she was just looking for a distraction of sort and not a fight with the helpful native. As Mwaka surmised, her frustration and fear grew exponentially with every hour that passed. "What if they never come back?" She suddenly asked as she turned toward the native almost pleadingly.

Mwaka's mouth twitched slightly at the question. It wasn't a surprising one or even the first time she asked. He also knew better than she how long this expedition could last even under the best of conditions. However, he was also worried by the complete lack of news. By now, they should at the very least have received a call or a radio transmission. "They're used to being in the wild Bi Mkubwa," Mwaka still answered calmly. "We should trust them to take care of themselves. I'm sure they'll be back before we know it." All of this was said very quickly, designed mostly to deflect more questions to which he had no answers. 

A flash of anger came into Kathy's eyes as she whirled on herself and started toward the main house without a word.

"Where are you going," Mwaka asked with sincere puzzlement. 

"There has to be a way to get some help for them." Kathy called to him without slowing down. 

"You know they won't help you. You're just wasting your time Bi."

"It's my time to waste," Kathy shot back before entering the house without a single look back.

Mwaka was tempted to protest further, mostly because he knew how bad it was for Kathy to see her hopes being crushed time and again. But then, she was so determined; maybe she would find someone willing to listen after all. Mwaka then turned his own gaze toward the horizon where the sun was shining a violent orange, almost red in color. If in the past, he had found those dramatic sunsets beautiful, right then, it reminded him of the bloody remains of those unfortunate victims. He couldn't help wondering if this was an omen of sort and if so, how much more terrible was it going to get?  
~~~~~~~  
Chaga was now running faster than he ever thought he could. Was it a few minutes ago, or an hour ago that they began believing themselves out of danger? Chaga couldn't tell anymore as he concentrated on this race for his life.

Just as he had thought that they might be out of the woods so to speak, another of his men had cried in terror before falling suddenly silent. Chaga whirled around to see him disappearing into the jungle, his legs trashing madly. Without hesitation, he shouldered his gun, no longer worried about hitting his own man as he was certain that this one was already dying horribly. He shot three times before the other men joined in, but Chaga understood that this enemy was too fast and too strong to be fought by a handful of men with guns. This certainty was reinforced by the next agonizing scream coming from the man who had been keeping their rear. This time he saw a flash of black fur, confirming that there were at least two of those beasts coming after them. It didn't do Chaga or his men any good to know this however, and at that point, Chaga made the only decision that he could. "Run down the slope as fast as you can. Maybe they'll give up if we retreat." Chaga didn't believe they would give up anymore, but some of his men might make it down nonetheless. The natives didn't need any more coaxing and they passed him down the trail while Chaga trained his gun on the jungle in a futile attempt at giving them cover. After the last one still alive had passed, Chaga started running behind his men and had been running ever since. 

For every step he took, Chaga feared being attacked by one of the monstrous beasts and devoured on the spot. He had never felt so vulnerable or scared in his life. Nevertheless, he didn't even have time to feel the shame of this weakness, so intent he was on escaping this horrible fate. How long had it been? Chaga questioned himself once again as he felt that his heart would literally burst out of his chest so hard it was beating. His throat burned for every breath he took, and his legs felt like cotton; but he couldn't stop, not even for an instant. 

Then as Chaga once again entertained the hope that they might have distanced their pursuers, another piercing scream of fright and pain came from just ahead of him and at the same time, he bumped into the man that had been running ahead of him. This one had stopped in his tracks, and both he and Chaga fell heavily to the ground, carried by the policeman's momentum. Chaga was slightly stunned but he still had time to see two more of his men being carried off as if they were no bigger than children. Tears of rage and despair welled in his eyes as he faced the inevitable. However, he promised himself that he wouldn't go this easily as he stood up once again and leveled his gun with shaky arms toward the jungle. "Come get me you bastards. I'm ready for you!"  
~~~~~~~  
Cole was now closing the wound that turned out to be surprisingly superficial for the amount of blood that was soiling Poni's fur. The beast was still under the influence of the powerful tranquilizer he injected it, but Cole knew that the effect of the medication was fading when he noticed a slight twitch on the feline features of the beast as the needle pierced the thick hide to complete the last stitch. Throughout the procedure, Cole had found many odd things that brought a lot of questions and suppositions to his mind about the morphology of the chimeras. However, until now, he had kept those questions to himself, except for the strict necessary information he needed to treat the beast. His curiosity was piqued, but at the same time, Cole felt almost ashamed by his scientific thirst to know. How could he wish to study those beasts after what they had done? And even more appalling, why did he have this vague urge to find out what caused the mysterious disease Hector mentioned? This sudden interest on his part made him uncomfortable, as he felt he was betraying his friends. This was why he kept mostly silent through the surgery, although it was also because Hector might consider any sign of interest on his part an encouragement. 

"Well," Cole said in an attempt at disdainful indifference that didn't quite work, "I guess the bad guy's always the lucky one…"

"So she'll be alright," Hector questioned with sincere concern.

"Shouldn't you mourn their victims rather than worrying about a scratch on one of those beasts?" Cole questioned reproachfully. This time, he meant it. 

"There are billions of humans out there but only three of those chimeras left alive. They are invaluable."

"They are monstrosities, Hector. A mistake!"

"But you can't deny you're curious about them, can you?" Hector countered calmly. 

Cole's silence was more eloquent than words.

"See, I knew you weren't completely lost to the cause, Cole," Hector pursued. "I'm sure you have many questions…"

Cole bit his lips with annoyance, mostly with himself. "Where are the others," he asked instead of the questions that were burning his lips.

"You mean your wife and her hunter friends?" Hector replied with obvious scorn.  
  
"I'd like to know that too, and remember that they are also my friends, Hector… but I was talking about the other chimeras and Mosi…"

"Don't worry; I just asked them to give you a little berth. You didn't need the pressure."

"I'd like to be sure you kept your promise and that they won't go after Phoebe." Cole said, while keeping a close eye on the beast still lying on the ground by his side. He thought he saw her blinking once.

"I said they wouldn't, didn't I?"

Cole gave his former friend a suspicious glance. There was something in Hector's voice; a hesitation that he didn't like. However, there was little he could do for them short of finding out enough about the beasts to know how to defeat them. In the back of his mind, a little voice chastised Cole, telling him that he was in fact searching for an excuse to quench his curiosity. Nevertheless, if it was an excuse, the rational behind it still held true. "I found some strange things about this beast," he finally said while indicating Poni. "Her hide's three times as thick as that of a normal mammal, yet I didn't find any fat tissue."

"They are indeed very muscled."

"I don't think you understand. No matter how trim a person or an animal is, they always have a percentage of adipose tissue. It has many purposes, the first one to conserve heat of course, but also as a reserve for nutrients, should the food supply fail to provide them in sufficient quantity."  
  
Hector turned a slightly puzzled glance toward Cole. "I'm certain that they have some of that in other parts of their anatomy. The chimeras are perfect in every respect," Hector affirmed.

"Didn't you say yourself that they were affected by a strange disease? Did you find out what this disease was?"

"Not yet," Hector said with less assurance. "However these are not affected by the disease. At least not at the moment… The ones who were didn't become sick until they were five years of age." Cole gave another long look at the animal. Hector sensed that he was pondering something. "What is it?"

"Nothing…well…what are the symptoms of this disease?"

Hector had to repress a triumphant smile. He knew Cole well. If his former pupil was showing interest now, it wouldn't be long before he became passionate about this cause. That's what had struck him when he met him all those years ago. Cole was a brilliant student but with a propensity to indulge himself every chance he got. However, when given a strong motivation, he became a workhorse, unable to stop until he solved the problem at hand, or saved the animal in peril. What's more, he would stop at nothing to achieve his goal in those cases. That was this particular trait of his personality which convinced Hector that Cole would go the distance when he first offered to bring him into his organization. And Cole had not disappointed. On many occasions, the young man had been reluctant to agree with Hector's methods, but he always came through anyway if he believed it to be for a good cause. "They became very weak within a short period of time. According to Mosi, the symptoms became apparent only three weeks before the first one died."

"Hemorrhages?"

"When I saw them, they were already in the last stage of the disease and their eyes and noses bled frequently, yes."

"Was this weakness you mentioned associated with severe muscle tone loss?"

"As a matter of fact, yeah... What are you thinking?"

"It's just a theory…"

From the bushes, Phoebe was now observing the two men with renewed suspicions, wishing she could hear what they were saying. She had thoroughly surveyed the surrounding area and found no signs of the other beasts, short of a few more of those strange tracks. She didn't see anyone else guarding the place either. Up until now, she had managed to keep her doubts in check and to hold on to her belief that Cole wouldn't betray her. However, right then, only Hector and Cole were left in the clearing with the anesthetized beast. No matter how much she wanted to, she found it difficult to make excuses for Cole. Hector wasn't threatening him and it was obvious that the other animals were gone, most likely hunting for Chaga and his men, she thought with a chill. Although she suggested that Cole might have made a deal with Hector, it seemed increasingly unlikely to her. How could Cole believe that Hector would stop the killings since he held all the cards? Even though she had managed to shoot the one lying in the grass in front of her, there were still at least two of those beasts loose and so far, Phoebe was the only one who even managed to wound one of them while members of her own party were dropping like flies. 

She lifted the gun barrel and aimed straight at the beast, almost determined to finish the job right then. However, curiosity stopped her when she got a good look at the animal through the scope. She could see it clearly for the first time and, in spite of being prepared for something strange, its appearance was still a shock to her. Phoebe knew that she'd never seen anything like it before, even though it possessed traits from a variety of known animals. The beast's jaws were slack because of the anesthetic, and she could distinguish its sharp feline teeth clearly. The hands reminded of a gorilla's but with long and threatening claws, no doubt responsible for the horrible wounds she'd witnessed on the many victims. The only difference with those of a feline was that they didn't seem to be retractable, possibly because of the strange morphology of the appendages. As her attention turned to the feet of the beast, the tracks were explained although Phoebe couldn't fathom how this could possibly be real. The heels of those feet looked human enough, but the shape of it was all wrong, more a reminder of a very fast feline, like a cheetah. In fact, fur stuck out of the toes, which were also ending in an impressive set of claws. She was convinced that the beast walked on the ball of its feet, providing it the stealthy approach they had witnessed, a little like the Indians used to do, except it seemed a natural state for those beasts and not some acquired technique. All in all, Phoebe could see that this animal had been created for one purpose and one alone: to be an efficient and dangerous killer. Cole pulled away slightly as he appeared to be pondering something and it distracted her from her observations. "What are you doing, Cole," Phoebe asked herself with renewed anxiety. Suddenly, a memory flashed into her mind as she watched him.

  
Phoebe was back with Cole in their bedroom all those years ago. As had become her habit, she was pretending to sleep while being acutely aware of Cole staring at her. The memory was so vivid that she could almost feel the pleasant tingling she always got at those times. He was talking to her softly and she was drinking in every word, knowing that these were the only occasions when he was completely open about his feelings.

"You're so pretty," Cole was saying while his fingers played with a strand of her hair. "I'll never leave you, baby. Not unless you want me to. I feel so lucky to be here; it just amazes me more every day. If only…" Cole had stopped then and Phoebe almost opened her eyes and pressed him to continue. However, she knew that if she did, he would pretend not to know what she was talking about. "I don't want Abner to come between us," Cole finally said almost in a sigh. "Please don't let that happen. I don't know what I would do if I lost you…" 

At the time, Phoebe had felt tears prickling her eyelids, mostly because of her worries, but she had not given Cole any sign that she heard him. The two men she loved more than anyone in the world couldn't get along and she didn't know how to reconcile them. From what Cole said that night, he was also very much aware of her dilemma. Later on, when Cole's fears became a painful reality, Phoebe chose to forget this monologue, dismissing it as some sort of deception on Cole's part. 

Had she been too quick to judge him then? Cole's recent revelations seemed to indicate that she had. Yet, these latest talks they had might also have been designed to deceive her and to put her suspicions to rest. 

As she reaffirmed her hold on the rifle, Phoebe was still questioning everything. However, no matter how many doubts she entertained about Cole, she wasn't ready to do anything that could jeopardize his life. She feared that killing the beast now might provoke Hector into hurting Cole before she had a chance to get him. Not to mention that Phoebe shot this animal once and it still had enough strength to run. It might yet lash out at whoever was around it before it died. She had no idea how deep the anesthesia was and the risk was too great without a back up. Slowly, she prepared to retreat towards Paul and Faraji, but she stopped suddenly when she heard the gun shots in the distance.

"What's on you mind," Hector insisted when Cole seemed lost in thought for a long moment. 

Cole was still wondering if he should reveal his theory to Hector when he too heard the gun shots and his head snapped sharply toward the sounds. Anger flared through him as he was now certain that Hector betrayed his trust. "You son of a bitch!" he exclaimed while shooting up and launching at his old mentor. Hector threw himself backward to avoid Cole's attack while he reached for a revolver tucked in his belt. 

Phoebe took the scene in one millisecond and she knew that she had to do something quickly. Without any more hesitation, she rushed into the clearing and called loudly to Hector, effectively startling both he and Cole. "Stop!"

Cole turned to her while immense relief washed over him, but Hector still kept his hand near the gun. "Don't try anything stupid, Hector!" Phoebe insisted.

"God I thought…" Cole exclaimed, ignoring her warning to Hector as he took a step toward Phoebe.

"Stay there," Phoebe snapped. 

Cole stopped abruptly and his relieved expression was replaced by a painful one. "Phoebe I…" once again, Cole's expression changed but this time, Phoebe thought she saw intense fear in his eyes. The thought barely registered before she was thrown to the ground by a powerful blow between her shoulder blades. Phoebe hit the ground hard and the wind got knocked out of her before she fainted in spite of her struggle to stay awake. Meanwhile, Mosi stood over her with a thick stick, ready to strike again.

"NO!" Cole shouted imperatively just a fraction of a second too late to prevent the first blow.

The native stopped his attack momentarily, turning a questioning stare toward Hector. This one pulled his gun all the way out of his belt and deliberately aimed it at Cole. "She's too dangerous to us, Cole. We can't allow her to destroy the chimeras."

"You promised me!" Cole shot back as he headed towards Phoebe and Mosi in spite of the threatening gun. Hector shot once just ahead of him, stopping Cole in his tracks.

"I won't let her or you do harm to them," Hector insisted firmly.

"And I won't let you kill my wife," Cole affirmed as he took another step forward.

Hector signaled for Mosi and this one took a swing at Phoebe. However, that's when another gun shot exploded in the clearing and the native dropped the stick with a grunt of pain as blood spurted out of his hand. Mosi turned toward the new threat even as Paul and Faraji were entering the clearing side by side. Faraji was training his gun on the native while Paul aimed at Hector. "Drop it! I won't hesitate to shoot you," Paul said forcefully.

As Cole used this distraction to close the gap between him and Phoebe, Poni began stirring and suddenly sat up with a low growl, attracting Paul and Faraji's attention. Mosi apparently saw his chance because he started toward Faraji, ignoring the pain in his hand. Before the bearer could do anything about it, Mosi was upon him and both of them rolled on the ground while Mosi hit Faraji repeatedly with his enormous fists. Paul reacted by redirecting his aim towards the two combatants, but since he couldn't risk shooting Faraji, he went closer and started hitting Mosi with the butt of his gun instead. Hector saw Paul's move and he turned his own aim toward him, already squeezing the trigger. 

Another loud gun shot exploded in the clearing, echoed by a second one, startling the combatants and Paul. This one turned with intense surprise toward Hector, who still stood with his extended arm, apparently aiming over Paul's head with a smoking gun. Then, as if in slow motion, the handgun slipped out of Hector's grasp and fell to the ground just before the old professor began folding on himself. When Hector finally hit the ground, face first, Paul turned his attention towards Cole and Phoebe and he saw Cole holding Phoebe's rifle. Cole was staring at his former mentor's prone body with wide disbelieving eyes. Paul was in shock and almost spoke up but he didn't have time to say anything because he heard a grunt beside him and realized that the big native had started hitting Faraji again. Without hesitation, he struck Mosi twice at the base of his neck and the native with the strange features went limp on top of Faraji's body. Faraji's face was bloodied and he was nearly immobile, except for one of his arms that seemed to be jerking reflexively. Paul pushed Mosi off Faraji and he felt for a pulse. Then, before he could confirm whether Faraji was still alive, he remembered the beast with a jolt. He cast a worried glance toward it only to find that the monster had left the clearing without any of them noticing its departure. Paul knew that this couldn't be good news for the future, but he was at least grateful that the beast didn't take this opportunity to shred them to pieces. Under his fingers still pressed against Faraji's carotid, he felt a weak pulse and he called anxiously. "Cole, Faraji needs your help."

Cole didn't react, still staring fixedly at Hector. Beside him, Phoebe sat up and, although she was still unsteady from the hit, it didn't take her long to understand what happened when she saw Cole's tight grip on the rifle and Hector on the ground. His knuckles were white from the effort while a slight trembling shook his body. "Cole…" she questioned softly as she put a light hand on his shoulder.

"I didn't have a choice," Cole suddenly uttered in a strangled voice. "I…I didn't want to…" Then, startling Phoebe, Cole suddenly exclaimed louder, "Abner!"

"What?" Phoebe questioned in surprise as Cole dropped the gun and ran toward Hector.

"Cole for god sake, this man's dead. Faraji needs your help," Paul insisted with mounting irritation.

Cole ignored him again as he was already turning Hector on his back. Then Phoebe questioned him anew. "What about Abner?"

"Hector told me that Abner's alive," Cole replied almost distractedly while he pressed his hand on the chest wound and nervously searched for a pulse in Hector's neck. 

"Cole?" Phoebe asked in a shaky voice. 

Cole looked up with a haunted stare. "I don't believe this thing will help us," Cole replied while gesturing toward the unconscious Mosi. "Hector's our only chance to find Abner…"  



End file.
